Transformers: The Gathering Storm
by KiloWhiskeyOscar
Summary: Following the miraculous return of Optimus Prime, the Autobots enjoy a peaceful if uneasy truce with the Decepticons. Meanwhile, the ruthless and charismatic Thunderwing sets his sights on Earth in search of a long lost weapon of the Primes. Now, Optimus must rally the Autobots against the latest threat to their adopted homeworld, all while confronting the return of an old enemy.
1. Prologue - Peace In Our Time

Disclaimer: Guess who's back, kiddies! I know I said that I was finished doing Transformers, but I honestly couldn't stay away. So I've returned to start a brand new story that I'm hoping will be the first of a new trilogy. I know I can do better than Michael Bay in terms of actual storytelling.

I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

 _Prologue_

 _There can be no life without death. This was a notion I did not understand until the final moments of my own life. As I lay upon my deathbed and looked to those who grieved for me, I understood that my time was ending. I looked to the one I considered a brother and passed the Matrix of Leadership to him, never knowing that Matrix had instead chosen the one I'd long considered a son. Then, I was one with the Matrix._

 _I watched from beyond as he led our brethren to an age of peace, only to be best by the wickedness of those who created our kind. What followed was the wrath of a revenge-seeking foe, but my successor turned those threats. Still, the burden of leadership had taken its toll. Meanwhile, those very creatures that made us, only to be used as their weapon, disturbed my seemingly eternal rest. But I was never truly gone. Soon after, a greater evil arose._

 _A forgotten warrior returned, bringing with him an even greater evil. But I also returned, brought back by the efforts of those I've considered a family. I fought against that warrior, and then I fought alongside him. In the end, he sacrificed himself to save a world he did not know. Now, I walk amongst my family once more and upon the world we've adopted as our home away home. Perhaps there is such a notion of life after death._

 _I contemplate the possibility that the forgotten warrior may yet live, somewhere out there… alone in the far reaches of the galaxy, waiting to be found. But I also feel a sense of dread; if he could find his way to this world, then others may find their way as well. The question is… who would they be? From where in the galaxy would they hail? Would their eventual arrival to Earth be one of peace… or of conquest?_

* * *

TRANSFORMERS  
THE GATHERING STORM

Chapter I

Deep Space  
Location; unknown

He was alone in the farthest reaches of space. His reserves had dwindled to nearly nothing and it forced him to enter stasis lock in the hope that someone would find him. His body was mangled and littered with scorch marks that were the result of his final act of defiance again the Fallen, a former Prime defeated by another former Prime. But now he was alone and long before he'd entered stasis lock, he broadcast a distress beacon and a message. With a little bit of luck, someone would respond. The message was in a loop and it was about to play out again.

" _To anyone within range of this distress beacon; my name is Sentinel Prime. I am alone, drifting and critically wounded. I am in need of assistance and currently await rescue."_

The message looped back to the beginning frequently and on a time based function, but the critically injured but somehow still functioning Sentinel Prime had forgotten how long he'd set it. He didn't even remember how long he'd been adrift in the middle of space, He did remember the last image he'd seen before; he was sucked into a singularity above human city on Earth, then he was face to face with the Fallen. Moments later, a massive explosion followed. Sentinel didn't know what happened to Fallen. All he did know was that he was somewhere in space, lost and alone and slipping in and out of stasis lock.

Sentinel tried to study his surroundings, but there was nothing to study except for a distinct absence of sound and an endless sea of stars. Since his was drifting upside down, Sentinel didn't even know which was way up or down. Then for no more than a fleeting moment, Sentinel thought he'd seen a section of stars apparently moving toward him. Maybe his optics were playing tricks on him, but it didn't make a difference once he slipped back into stasis lock.

A bright light suddenly appeared around Sentinel Prime's husk, coming from the section of stars that were moving on their own. The stars weren't stars but lights, and the lights were a part of a massive ship. Its make was unknowable, but there were the telltale signs that it was the same species as Sentinel; Cybertronian. But Sentinel was nowhere near Cybertron. This great vessel of unknown origin hovered above him as ominously as the Fallen once did as the white light became flickered away. A slue beam appeared in its place, and Sentinel's husk began to drift toward the ship.

The ship was using some form of tractor beam to pull Sentinel toward it before a hatch opened underneath. Sentinel was pulled into the ship now and once taken inside, the hatch was closed behind him. The beam faded and Sentinel was dropped to a hard surface. The impact didn't wake him immediately, but he did come out of stasis lock for a brief moment. In the brief time he had to glimpse his surroundings, Sentinel thought he saw movement out of the corner of his optics. Then he slipped back into stasis lock, missing the image of four mechanical limbs walking by his husk.

A bizarre shark-like beast strolled into proximity, snarling at the mangled Prime before being joined by mole-like, foul smelling creature. Others soon joined; a two-headed dog creature, a winged beast akin to an extinct Earth lizard, likely a Pteranodon and finally, a large, two-headed dragon creature. They loomed over Sentinel as they had the intention of eating him. That was exactly their intention until they all backed away in separate directions. A sixth figured loomed, tall and menacing. The figure knelt down to examine the former Prime and displayed glowing green optics.

"Take him to the med bay and patch him up." The figure spoke in a commanding tone.

Two of the creatures responded and took Sentinel Prime away by his legs. Sentinel briefly revived and caught a glimpse of the apparent individual in charge. He was flanked on each side by the three creatures no dragging him away to wherever in the ship. Sentinel wanted to protest, but he once again slipped back into stasis lock before he could speak. There was no telling what the mysterious leader of these creatures had planned, but in no way was it good.

* * *

Sol System  
Earth; Washington, DC

Earth, the home world of the human race, had seen an unprecedented time of peace and tranquility since the miraculous return of Optimus Prime over seven Earth months ago. It happened in Seattle, Washington; during a lengthy citywide battle that saw the Autobots joining forces with the Decepticons against otherworldly creatures that looked like they came straight out of a horror movie. The creatures, called Darkened by those who lived through the battle, poured from a massive hole in the sky above the city. All hoped seemed lost… until Optimus Prime made his triumphant return.

Optimus Prime roared into the battle and rallied the Autobots and Decepticons against the overwhelming hordes of Darkened. Eventually after a heated battle for all time, the mysterious hole in the sky was sealed. The Darkened immediately and quite literally dropped dead. The day was won, thanks in large part to Optimus Prime. That was seven months ago, and much had changed since then.

The Autobots were now enjoying the longest stretch of peace since the war for their home planet of Cybertron. This was the result of an immediate truce between Optimus Prime and the leader of the Decepticons, Galvatron. The remaining Decepticons that survived the battle in Seattle had disbanded while Galvatron had gone into a self-imposed exile somewhere on Earth. Despite the best efforts of the Autobots, no one had seen or heard from Galvatron since. Optimus Prime was certain that Galvatron had intended to stay true to his word that there would be no more fighting between the two factions. No conflicts had happened since then, so the Autobots busied themselves by assisting in solving human conflicts across the world.

In Washington DC at the White House, a large crowd of people were gathering upon the front lawn. Most of the gathered were from various News outlets from across the Eastern United States while others were broadcasting to the West Coast. It was the idea of President John Keller to make a public acknowledgement of the Autobot's continued assistance to the military, particularly Optimus Prime. Being invited to the ceremony, long time Autobot ally Spike Witwicky saw the whole thing as window dressing.

Chip Chase, another long time friend of the Autobots, had an obligation to attend the ceremony since he was the head of R&D at Langley. Walking among the crowds of people trying to get through the metal detectors, Chip rolled his eyes once he walked through. The detectors blared out loud for a couple of security officers to respond and stop the pair from entering the area.

"Could you empty out your pockets please, sir?" one officer asked.

Chip glared at the officer and replied, "Oh of course, officer. While I'm at it, would you like me to remove my metal leg braces and crawl across the White House lawn by my hands?"

Spike tried to keep himself from snickering when the officer said, "My apologies, sir. You may pass."

Chip huffed and pointed to Spike saying, "He's with me."

"Go ahead."

Chip went along with Spike following behind him. Spike spun around and told the officers, "You guys are lucky you stopped us."

Spike then caught up with Chip still chuckling, to which Chip asked, "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, buddy. I can't help myself sometimes." Spike said while he pushed passed a blonde woman in a military suit and missing her icy glare.

"You know, sometimes I can never figure out what Carly sees in you, Spike," Chip claimed. "At least you're only here voluntarily. I'm obligated to be at this thing."

"To be honest, I kind of wish I didn't show up at all. But at least we don't have to worry about the Decepticons ruining everything. It's been seven months since they last appeared." Spike said.

"Don't jinx it, Spike. I'd like to make the full year without one Decepticon sighting." Chip claimed, and Spike chuckled a bit more.

An announcer's voice chimed over the loudspeakers, "Ladies and gentlemen; the President of the United States."

The Presidential Anthem began playing over the loudspeakers as President John Keller made his first appearance at the ceremony. A considerable round of applause from the crowd greeted Keller, while Spike and Chip feigned adulation if only to keep up appearances. Keller's Cabinet was present on the stage as the President approached, along with numerous military officials. Spike caught sight of the woman he'd bumped into earlier. She had a scowl on her face that spoke volumes of distain. Whether it was for President Keller or the entire ceremony as a whole was anyone's guess. President Keller approached the podium and greeted the applauding crowd with a wave, though it was more to quell the applause than to greet it.

"My fellow Americans; today marks a moment in history three decades in the making. On this day in 1984, humanity discovered that it was not alone in the universe when a race of robotic beings arrived on our planet. While one faction attempted to take over our planet, the other faction vowed to protect it and its people. For thirty years, the Autobots have fought for the defense and preservation our way of life, and today, we honor them. So without further ado, please welcome the leader of the Autobots: Optimus Prime."

Another round of applause rose up from the gathered crowd, including from Spike and Chip, as a separate gate opened in front of a specially made pathway. A massive red and blue Peterbilt 386 truck slowly rolled across the path, keeping a perfectly straight and narrow form as it went. At first glance, the truck didn't look like it belong in the backyard of a suburban home much less the front lawn of the White House. But the small red and silver face on the grill that was the insignia of the Autobots made the truck an exception. Entering a wide-open area and rolling to a stop, the truck hissed plumes of white smoke into the air. Then there came the distinct sound of shifted metal.

The massive rig began shifting pieces of itself from one point to another. The grill pulled away and formed a pair of arms moving to each side. The rear end of the rig that was designed to haul a trailer shifted into a pair of giant blue and silver legs, and the front window formed a huge chest. The rapidly forming body took a stance before it even finished changing, with the smoke stacks positioned on the back. A head came into existence with a blue helmet and two antenna and a duel sided plate pulled back to reveal a face. Soon, the noble leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, stood tall and proud before the humans that he and his brethren had sworn for so long to protect. His presence alone was met with thunderous applause, including from Spike and Chip that was more genuine.

"I never get tired of that." Spike said to Chip.

President Keller held his hands up to silence the applause so he could speak. "Optimus Prime, I'd like to take this moment to thank for attending as well as extend humanity's deepest gratitude. You and your Autobots have defended our planet from the Decepticons and many other threats from the first moment you arrived. Your selfless actions and devotion to the peace and security have earned you the respect of a species that has come to consider you as part of our world. On behalf of the people of Earth, you have my most sincere thanks."

Another round of applause came up from the crowd before it was Optimus Prime who silenced them. "Mr. President, it is a great honor to be here today. I am humbled by your gratitude and generosity for myself and my fellow Autobots. We have defended Earth for three of your decades and in return, you've treated our kind as citizens of what has became our home away from home. But as gracious as your thanks may be, I am still but a soldier like my fellow Autobots. And for however long you may wish, we will continue to defend Earth in the service of humanity."

"We couldn't ask for anymore more, Optimus." Keller replied.

"Excuse me…" a female voice called out, coming from one of the seats on the stage, particularly the military woman. "Excuse me for interrupting your little soft spell, Optimus Prime."

In the crowd, Chip grimaced under his breath, "Oh no!"

"Wait, you know that lady?" Spike asked.

Chip replied, "Unfortunately…"

The woman who spoke out was the same that Spike had bumped into earlier. Optimus had taken notice of her without displaying an emotional response negative or otherwise. "Ma'am, I do not believe we have been properly introduce."

The woman gave a swift military salute but the scowl remained. "No, we haven't. I'm Lieutenant Josie Beller, United States Armed Forces Science Division."

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Lt. Beller?" Optimus asked.

"Pleasure? Wow, that's awfully condescending," Lt. Beller said out loud, like she wanted Optimus and everyone in the crowd to hear her. "Well for starters, you can tell us the real reason you and your kind are still on Earth."

Optimus was taken aback but didn't show it. "I am not certain that I understand your meaning, Lieutenant."

"The Decepticons and their leader; Galvatron, wasn't it? Since the Seattle incident seven months ago, they haven't been seen or heard from. For all intents and purposes, the Decepticons may have very well left Earth all together. It begs the question of why you're still here."

"Let me stop you right there, Lieutenant," President Keller interjected. "The continued presence of the Autobots on Earth was vetted here at the White House and bolstered by the collective support of the citizens of our planet. The Autobots are just as much a part of Earth as humanity."

"With all due respect, Mr. President; since when has humanity ever known what it needs? I'm not the only person who thinks this ways. The Decepticons are defeated. They are gone, which means the Autobots should be gone also." Lt. Beller continued.

"That's quite enough, Lieutenant. Regardless of your opinions, the Autobots are in fact here to stay because the citizens of Earth wish it and because they are a part of this world. I for one wouldn't have it any other way."

The President's final statement brought yet another round of applause from the crowd, while Josie Beller promptly left the stage. She stopped at the bottom and looked back at Optimus Prime with an angry glare. Optimus returned the gesture without the emotional response, remaining stoic and calm. It occurred to the leader of the Autobots that this human woman harbored a deep-seated hatred for his kind, but he wasn't about to press the matter. Josie continued on her way from the stage, pushing passed Chip and Spike without glancing back.

"Lt. Beller…" Chip called out, stopping the woman.

Josie turned around still fuming. "Dr. Chase! You enjoying the undeserved adulation your alien friends are receiving?"

"I'd be enjoying it a little bit more if you hadn't made a sideshow of these proceedings, ridiculous as they may be." Chip stated with a hint of anger.

Josie simply smirked before looking to Spike. "You must be Spike Witwicky, the favorite human ally of the Autobots. You and your family have known the Autobots for the past 30 years or so."

"Yes, we have. Optimus Prime rescued my father and me from a Decepticon attack on the offshore oilrig we worked on. I was 17 years old then."

"Now, you're what? 47? 48 years old? I'm 32 if you can believe that. It's got to take a toll, though; being associated with… these things." Josie implied.

Spike's temper flared up then. "Okay, what exactly is your problem with the Autobots, Beller?"

Josie suddenly became cold and serious. "It's not **just** the Autobots, Witwicky, and it's not **just** the Decepticons either. They're the entire problem, every last damn one of them. They came to this planet, **our** planet bringing a civil war with them that caused the senseless deaths of countless humans, some of them very personal."

"Personal?"

"I had a fiancé in Seattle the day of the attack. As far as I'm concerned, your friends are just as responsible as the Decepticons." Josie explained angrily.

"The Autobots were trying to save the city." Spike pointed.

"That's doesn't matter. Good or bad, they're all aliens and they have no right to fight their war on our planet while we suffer and die for it." Josie snapped with even more anger from her tone.

A Secret Service member approached the trio from the stage. "Lieutenant Beller, the President has requested your presence in the Oval Office immediately following the proceedings."

Josie understood that when the President of the United States made a request, it was best to respond. "I wish I could say it was nice meeting you, Mr. Witwicky. But then, I'd be lying."

"Screw you, too." Spike snapped as Josie stormed off. He then looked at Chip and asked, "How do you know people like that?"

"Sometimes, I wish I didn't." Chip said as Optimus approached them.

"Is everything alright, Spike?" he asked.

"It could be better, Optimus. I think now would be a good time to head back to Oregon." Spike replied.

Optimus Prime nodded in response as he pressed his fingers to the side of his head. "Brianstorm, do you read me?"

From the other end of the call, Brainstorm answered, _"Loud and clear, Optimus."_

"We are finished here at the White House. Open the Ground Bridge."

" _Stand by…"_

A swirling mass of greenish-blue energy came into existence that appeared similar to a black hole in space, but it was unaccompanied by any sort of vacuum. Optimus Prime assumed his vehicle form and opened the doors for Chip and Spike to enter. Once inside, the giant rig started rolling into the Ground Bridge. Josie remained by the stage for a time to watch the truck disappear into the miniature wormhole in a bright light. Then the wormhole collapse from existence like it wasn't even there. In the back of her mind, Josie was thinking _good riddance_ now that Optimus Prime was gone. Now she had to put up with President Keller, and she knew it wasn't going to a good time for her.

* * *

Author's Note: So there's the opening prologue briefly recapping the events of the previous story, revealing that Sentinel Prime is alive but not in a great state. Who are the mysterious characters that appeared at the start? I think you can guess. You can also take a guess at the identity of the shadowy main antagonist.

Speaking of characters, the Anti-Transformer villainess Josie Beller makes her debut. She was a computer genius in the comic; here, she's a USAF scientist, which isn't all that different, I suppose.

Anyway, that's the opening chapter so I hope to get some early reviews.


	2. For Those Left Behind

Disclaimer: Well, I'd say I'm off to a decent start. So, here's the next chapter of the story; here's hoping for good feedback.

No Transformers ownership.

* * *

Chapter II

White House  
Washington DC;

Josie Beller waited for a long time near the secretary's desk for the Summons from the Oval Office, and she was more than aware that President Keller was very upset with her. Why wouldn't he have been? Josie basically made a mockery of a celebration in honor of the Autobots. As far as she was whole-heartedly concerned, the Autobots didn't deserve praise. They were the same as the Decepticons; aliens. They had no real right to be on Earth from the start. So why the hell was Josie Beller being put to task for doing no more than speaking her mind?

The answers to those and every other question in her mind had to wait when she received a visit from within the Oval Office from one member of the Secret Service. With a single flick of his hand, Josie was ordered into the Oval Office. President Keller was already there. He was standing behind his desk looking out the window at the bushes. Josie said nothing, at least nothing nice, as she approached the desk and stood at attention like other US Military soldier would've done. President Keller hadn't turned to face the roguish Lieutenant, but his arms were crossed and he tapped his chin as if in deep thought.

"Lieutenant…" he said quietly but loud enough for Josie to hear him.

"Mr. President…" Josie replied with as much polite decorum as she could manage.

"You certainly have a way with making a spectacle of yourself at the most inopportune times," President Keller turned around and met Josie with an unreadable expression. "Maybe you should take this moment to explain the leap of logic which compelled you to act as you did."

"I was simply stating the collective opinions of a world that has no use or tolerance for alien robots from some dying world halfway across space." Josie explained.

"Is that so, because from my angle on that stage, it looked much more like you were making a mockery of a event months in the making. This event was put together to honor the Autobots for the contributions in defending Earth for the 30 years been here. And in less than 30 minutes, you've made it into a sideshow." Keller explained rather angrily.

"I hardly think that the Autobots are deserving of the kind of praise they've received over the years. 30 years is probably no more than a blink of an eye to them. But look at how many of our people have suffered and died from being caught up in their war." Josie argued.

"I am more than aware of the casualties that have sprung up in the wake of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. But if the Autobots weren't here on Earth in those 30 years, the Decepticons would taken over and we'd be on the Endangered Species List."

"If we're not already." Josie whispered to herself.

"What was that, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing, Mr. President."

Keller wasn't convinced but he was going to let whatever snarky comment from Josie slide and he continued. "I fully understand the issues you have with the Transformers as a whole, this coming after the loss of your fiancé in Seattle. But let me remind you that you are under oath as an officer of the United States Military. The Military has a functional, working relationship with the Autobots and I will not allow the grievances of one officer jeopardize that."

"But Mr. President…"

"There will be no further arguments on this matter. You will either learn to cooperate peacefully with the Autobots or you can turn in your commendations right here and now. Am I understood, Lieutenant?" Keller asked, and he was expecting an answer then and there.

Josie found herself having to swallow her pride and gave a crisp salute. "Understood, Mr. President."

Satisfied, Keller said, "You're dismissed."

Josie was defeated and she knew it once she dropped her salute and stormed out of the Oval Office. Once she was outside and back into the secretary's area, she cursed under her breath. Under oath or not, she despised the Transformers. Josie knew in the back of her mind that she wouldn't be caught dead cooperating with either side. It didn't matter if they were Autobot or Decepticon; they hated all of them. And, somewhere down the line, she was going to make them all answer for what she lost in Seattle.

* * *

Ever since the literally city-sized Autobot called Metroplex sacrificed himself to bring Optimus Prime back to life, the city that he once comprised was mostly quiet. It was ultimately a good thing since the establishment of the Autobot/Decepticon truce. As Jazz tended to put it in his own way, ' _not a peep out of the creeps.'_ Jazz always had a way of lightening the mood, and more soon since the recent return to Earth of some old friends from Cybertron. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker returned to Earth in haste once they got word of Optimus Prime's resurrection. They'd brought Crosshairs and Highbrow along for their first visit to the human world. The newest additions to the Autobot ranks couldn't have been any more different.

Highbrow was for all intents and purposes, an intellectual, high cultured but likable Autobot whose natural intelligence rivaled Brainstorm. He was more likely to analyze a situation in order to solve a problem. Crosshairs was a master sharpshooter who preferred action to analyses. Both were good at whatever they did and both got along with most everybody… except each other.

Brainstorm usually paid Highbrow and Crosshairs no mind and focused on the task at hand, which involved operating to newly constructed Ground Bridge to bring Optimus Prime back from Washington DC. The Ground Bridge was the brilliant idea of Brainstorm, who reverse engineered the original Space Bridge technology. The result led to the building of a smaller but substantially more powerful transport device to anywhere on Earth. Outer Space was another story entirely since the departure of Sky Lynx. Rumors persisted that he'd journeyed to the same jungle planet on which Blackarachnia and the Predacons now lived.

Brainstorm was at primary console that operated the Ground Bridge. A moment later, a swirling vortex of energy formed within the primary area where the Autobots tended to their business. It wasn't long before a giant Peterbilt truck emerged from the vortex. The massive machine rolled into the area with little to no fanfare, though that was only because Optimus Prime wasn't one for such thing. Rolling to a stop and opening the doors for Spike and Chip to exit, Optimus assumed his proto form and stood tall among his fellow Autobots. The Ground Bridge closed behind him Optimus soon after.

"Welcome back, Optimus." Brainstorm greeted.

Spike lifted his arms to his sides and quipped, "You're not going to greet us too, Brainstorm?"

"I can't meet and greet everyone at the same time, Spike. You'll have to wait your turn." Brainstorm quipped back.

"You hurt my feelings, Brainstorm. You really do. Where's Carly?"

"She's with Cerebros in the communications tower." Brainstorm said.

"Well, that's going to be a long walk." Spike said.

Bumblebee approached the group with a smile on his face. "Look what the space slug dragged in. Good to see you again Spike. You too, Chip."

"Likewise, Bumblebee. How's the new vocal processor working?"

"It's working like a charm, like I never lost my voice at all. I feel like a new Autobot." Bumblebee stated with a new confidence ever since his new voice was install.

"I'm glad it worked out. I was getting tired of all the bleeping and chirping you were doing before." Spike said.

"Gee, thanks. Anyway, I can give you a lift to the communications tower. It'd be just like old times." Bumblebee offered.

"Let's go." Spike said. Bumblebee assumed vehicle form and aloud Spike to enter the driver's side. Soon after that, they drove off.

"Speaking of hiccups, it looks like not everyone is happy about the Autobots still being on Earth." Brainstorm said.

"It was never going to something ideal. I know Josie Beller and she was never that big a fan of aliens. Seattle just made her hate the Transformers even worse." Chip stated.

"You seem to know Lieutenant Beller closely, Chip? What can you tell us about her from your personal experience?" Optimus asked.

"I can't say I know her personally; we've only had passing conversations here and there. Lt. Beller joined the military at a relatively young age and rose up the ranks in a short period. She joined the Science Division in '11, topped out at Lieutenant and held that rank ever since." Chip explained in detail.

"I'm surprised she's not Colonel by now with her military commendations." Brainstorm implied.

"Yeah well, she also has a reputation for being arrogant and difficult to work with."

"The manner in which Lt. Beller spoke to you and Spike suggested a deeply personal matter." Optimus Prime stated.

"You caught that, huh? Lt. Beller was engaged to a man by the name of Dylan Gould. He was in Seattle the day of the attack, and he was killed like a lot of other people." Chip added.

"I see. So many human lives lost because of our war with the Decepticons. I suppose I can understand Lt. Beller's stance upon us." Optimus said grimly.

"Couldn't we try to bring her onto our side, Optimus? Maybe we can convince her that the Autobots aren't as bad as she thinks." Brainstorm stated.

"Although I may disagree with Lt. Beller's assessment of our species, we must nevertheless respect it. We cannot walk amongst the humans and expect to sway their opinion; our purpose is to act as their guardians." Optimus Prime stated.

"And if they eventually decide they don't want us here anymore; what then?" Brainstorm asked.

"If nothing else, at least we've got the President on our side, Brainstorm." Chip claimed, "Not sure that's a good thing, though."

Optimus didn't reply and instead departed into the city. Brainstorm did state, "On the plus side; at least we don't have to worry about the 'cons."

* * *

Optimus Prime wandered into the city with seemingly a great deal on his mind, not the least of which was the civil war with the Decepticons and the current truce. Galvatron called for the truce of the Seattle incident and he'd maintained it by going into a self-imposed exile. Optimus honored the truce as he always did by continuing to defend Earth. But still, the thought of so many humans lost because of Autobot/Decepticon war weighed heavy on him. He continued along the silent halls of the city. Despite the many repairs done over the past two stellar cycles, there were still the hallmarks of the siege that claimed the lives of many of Optimus Prime's friends. Even Optimus fell in battle against Megatron on the day.

He was compelled to approach memorial wall that listed the names of the Autobots lost. Optimus mentally read out the names for his fallen brethren. One of the names was for Sentinel Prime. The memory of having fought Sentinel Prime in Seattle, and then having fought side by side with him, was still fresh in the mind of Optimus. Sentinel sacrificed himself to save Earth, a world about which he knew nothing, from the Fallen, and that earned him a place on the wall. Even though Sentinel Prime's legacy was mired in discord and strife as he'd long since learned while one with the Matrix, Optimus saw Sentinel as another brother lost in war, and he didn't want another.

"Sentinel, wherever you are, I hope you found a measure of peace."

Optimus was about to depart to meet with the other Autobots when he halted. He turned slightly at a very faint whisper that seemed to come from nowhere. Scanning the hall but finding nothing out of the ordinary, Optimus dismissed it and went to move on. Then he heard the whisper again, slightly deeper but not any louder. When he then turned, Optimus was surprised to spot an individual seemingly appear and then disappear around a corner. He recognized the individual and gave chase but by the time he rounded the corner, the individual was gone as though it was never there. The whispers receded but Optimus was sure that the voice, despite being silent, was all too familiar.

"Alpha Trion?!"

* * *

Sentinel Prime could only vaguely hears voices talking about him. Bits and pieces of information came through to his audio receivers and most of what he heard was bad. Surprisingly, it wasn't about his overall condition. Raspy, animalistic tones spoke of apparently wishing to eat him. Sentinel attempted to get his optic sensors going and to get a sense of his surroundings. Everything was a fog at that moment but Sentinel fought to regain whatever sense of consciousness he could muster.

The first images were dark and blurry, and then sharpness crept along slowly. It was still dark and Sentinel assumed his optics were blind. Only then did it occur that he was in fact in a dark room. He was able to make out lights around him lining the wall of what could only be a large room. He tried to move but his arms and legs appeared to be held down by an unseen force. At least he still had his limbs. A face suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but so very different from Sentinel's. A bright yellow visor and small pincer-like protrusion jutted from a hole. It was like looking into the face of a living nightmare.

"I wouldn't move too much if were you, Sentinel Prime."

"Is it dead yet, Tarantulas? Can we eat it now?" another voice asked.

"You can forget it, Hun-Gr. Why don't go play with the rest of your team? You're disrupting this operation, now go away."

The latter of the arguing duo, Hun-Gr, lumbered away as if he walked on multiple limps. Sentinel managed to get a brief glimpse and saw a two-headed beast leaving. The former of the two, Tarantulas, hovered over Sentinel with a scalpel-like device. Sentinel still tried to fight out of his predicament as the device closed in on his right optic. He managed to finally snap off one of the steel shackles that held him down. One punch caught Tarantulas by surprise and another punch in reverse stunned him. Sentinel landed one more punch that sent Tarantulas to the floor before he undid the remaining shackles one by one.

He fell off the side of what he could only assume was an operating table and he tried to stand. But he was weak, severely wounded. Obviously, this Tarantulas character did nothing to fix the damage done to him. Sentinel tried to crawl away, already leaking fluid from open wounds. He managed to grab hold of a blunt object and used it to stand. Every step he took was a struggle as Sentinel continually dropped to a knee or knocked table full of equipment to the floor. Tarantulas was already upright and soon, he was joined by a group of beastly mechanical monsters, Hun-Gr. They were the same that Sentinel encountered prior to blacking out earlier and he tried to stand against them. All he did was fall right back to a knee. Tarantulas laughed at Sentinel's feeble effort just to stay upright. The beasts drew that much closer.

"You wouldn't survive in your condition, Sentinel, especially not against the Terrorcons." Tarantulas claimed.

"At least I can take some of you down with me." Sentinel defiantly proclaimed.

"Stand down, all of you," a new voice bellowed. Soon after, a hulking figure entered the room. "That's no way to treat a patient on my ship, especially one as revered as a Prime."

Sentinel tried to rise again but failed, even having to steady himself with his free hand. "I am no Prime, not anymore."

The new arrival started to approach with a slow and steady gait. "I'm well aware of your exploits, both the noble and the ruthless. That entitles you to a degree of respect among my crew."

"Where am I?" Sentinel asked.

"You're on my ship, the _Harbinger_ , and I am its captain," the figure approached Sentinel until he was standing over the fallen former Prime. He held out a hand. "My name is Thunderwing."

Sentinel finally managed to gain a considerable look at Thunderwing. He was a hulking mechanical robot sporting a silver, green and purple color scheme. It appeared that Thunderwing had actual wings folded behind his back and he wore a silver helmet with a black crest across the brow. Sentinel noticed something else about Thunderwing; his face appeared more organic, nothing like the mechanical image of Sentinel's face. There were no insignia to indicate if Thunderwing was Autobot or Decepticon, another hint that Thunderwing was something else entirely.

Thunderwing gave no indication that he meant any harm to Sentinel, but Sentinel was all too cautious. He understood better than anyone the Faustian Deal he made with the Fallen and how it cost him so much. But Thunderwing appeared to be of a more benevolent nature and he'd ordered the beastly robots, the Terrorcons as Tarantulas dubbed them, to stand back. So, Sentinel took a chance and took the gesture offered to him by Thunderwing. But, he watched the other crewmembers closely to be sure they didn't try anything. Thunderwing brushed Sentinel's arms clean of whatever residue he might have gathered, continuing to show a seemingly benevolent nature.

"You look as though you'd been through the Pit. What happened to you, I wonder?" Thunderwing asked with an air of kindness.

Sentinel pulled away from Thunderwing and remained on guard. "I've never met you before, never fought you and never even heard of you. Don't pretend as though we're acquainted."

Thunderwing simply smirked and held his arms out slightly, almost as if he was defensive. "I extend unto you my apologies. I will also extend my assurances to you that you are no danger aboard the _Harbinger_. My crew knows their place and who's in charge."

Sentinel still didn't trust Thunderwing and glances at the beastly robots. "What in the Pit are those… things?"

"The Terrorcons? Think of them as byproducts of the experiments conducted by Tarantulas. You've met Hun-Gr; the others are Snapdragon, Rippersnapper, Cutthroat and Blot. In fact, most the _Harbinger's_ crewmembers are the results of his experiments." Thunderwing stated.

Sentinel asked, "What does that make you?"

"Let's just say I'm far beyond the imagination. Now, I suggest you get back on the table and let Tarantulas finish patching you up. I'd prefer that you be able to walk under your own power." Then Thunderwing started walking toward the exit where the Terrorcons dispersed to let him pass.

"Why? What do you want from me, Thunderwing?" Sentinel asked.

Thunderwing was at the exit when he halted and turned around. "What do I want?" All I want at the moment is to give you a guided tour of the _Harbinger_. I think there's much you'll find interesting."

"What more than that," Sentinel asked. "You're clearly not a Decepticon nor an Autobot. So what are you really after?"

Thunderwing only said, "All in due time, Sentinel. All in due time."

Then Thunderwing was gone with the Terrorcons close behind him. Sentinel narrowed his optics at the mysterious captain as he left the room. Then he turned his attention to Tarantulas, who was fiddling with some of his equipment without even glancing at Sentinel. Like Thunderwing, Sentinel had no idea if Tarantulas was an Autobot or a Decepticon. He didn't bear an insignia of either faction, nor did the Terrorcons. Without having a clear idea who to trust, Sentinel knew he was on his own. Then Tarantulas glanced over to Sentinel, who couldn't even tell was smiling or not.

"Alright, Sentinel, back on the table. We've still got a lot of work to do." Tarantulas said with a hint of twisted glee. And, Sentinel reluctantly complied.

* * *

Author's note: That ends chapter two, and we get both mentions and first appearance of some new characters and returning favorites. But first, we get a small bit of insight into why Josie Beller hates the Transformers, while Optimus appears to experiencing something different. Was that Alpha Trion?

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are back, while Bumblebee finally gets his pipes back. Yeah, I said it. As for the new arrivals, Highbrow and Crosshairs will make their debut. The former of the two was initially in _Return of the Primes_ but was cut out.

We also get the debuts of the Terrorcons and Tarantulas and the first of appearance of the powerful but rather obscure Thunderwing. Note his silver-tongued dialogue since I wanted to give him a more charismatic feel. Make no mistake; he's definitely the main antagonist.

What are your thoughts thus far?


	3. Relics Of The Past

Disclaimer: Happy Mother's Day, . I hope you'll gave your moms a big hug. I'd hug my mom but I'll have to settle for a prayer in her memory.

Anyway, the latest chapter is set for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter III

Autobot City; Oregon Mountains  
Earth

Hotrod had come a long way since those cycles of his youth. Back when Autobot City was being constructed, he'd spent his time shirking guard duties and never really knowing or caring what the future held for him. Then the Decepticons hit the city with the intent of stealing the Matrix of Leadership. When Hotrod first touched the Matrix that day, he had a vision of himself fighting Galvatron within the inner workings of Unicron, and then he eventually became Rodimus Prime. Fast forward to now, and Hotrod was his old self. But he was different now.

He'd grown into a wiser, more responsible Autobot who was less likely to take his duties for granted. If only Kup could've seen him now? Sadly, Hotrod felt like he was acting as a sort of babysitter for Highbrow and Crosshairs. The newest arrivals from Cybertron had been butting heads back and forth for Primus knows how long. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were of no help to Hotrod at all. They were sitting in a corner enjoying the verbal, and sometimes physical, clashing between Highbrow and Crosshairs.

"It's not going to last. The "cons are up to something, Highbrow, mark my words on that." Crosshairs bellowed.

"I would surmise that you want the Decepticons to be up to something at the moment, Crosshairs." Highbrow retorted.

"Or maybe you just yammering because you know I'm right about this." Crosshairs stated, even pointing the finger at the more intellectual Autobot.

"Of course," Highbrow chuckled aloud. "That would likely explain your ornery attitude just a little bit better."

"Who're you calling horny?"

"Ornery; it's a term to describe irrational behavior born of any number of physical of emotional stimuli. In your case, I'd think it's combat stress related." Highbrow recited almost in a mocking tone.

Crosshairs started to storm toward Highbrow, saying, "I'll show you combat stress."

Hotrod finally stepped in between the pair just before they came to blows. "Easy, guys. We finally got all those old dents out of the city walls and we don't need any new ones."

"Seriously, Hotrod? We're arguing about the Decepticon's next move and you're worried about dents." Crosshairs wondered.

"Our truce with the Decepticons is conditional with the self-imposed exile of Galvatron. We haven't seen him for the passed seven Earth months." Highbrow pointed out.

"That's probably means he's got some seriously big plans for us. For all we know, he's planning to slam Cybertron into Earth's Sun." Crosshairs argued.

"Right, and I am a headless Transformer." Highbrow quipped.

"I can make you one if you keep yapping."

"Will you two please knock it off," Hotrod asked, and Highbrow and Crosshairs finally backed away. "Look, we haven't seen or heard from Galvatron or the other Decepticons since Seattle. So, we're pretty much in the clear. Now, let's agree to disagree and drop the subject."

Highbrow and Crosshairs exchanged glares before turning away. But Crosshairs silently sneered, "No-it-all."

Highbrow replied, "Sparkling!"

Hotrod was too beleaguered to care while Sideswipe and Sunstreaker snickered to each other. "Really, guys? You couldn't be bothered to even lift one finger and help out?"

Sideswipe looked at his twin and then asked, "Help with what, Hotrod? You seemed like you the situation well under control."

"Oh, yeah definitely. Those two really took your advice to Spark. They really did." Sunstreaker added, and then he and Sideswipe started to laugh.

"I wish you two stayed on Cybertron." Hotrod snarled at the brothers while a female Autobot with a midnight blue color scheme approached.

"Don't waste your energies on them, Hotrod. Their brothers; they never did know any better."

Hotrod recognized the voice and looked at the female Autobot. "Arcee, is that you?"

"It's a new look. I figured it was past time to ditch the pink and try something a little more modern," the Autobot, confirmed to be Arcee, exclaimed. She even struck a pose. "What'd you think?"

Hotrod was speechless at the site of Arcee standing in front of him with her new appearance. "It's a good look." he managed.

"I'll say. Hey Arcee, how 'bout you and I take a drive around the mountains?" Sunstreaker asked.

"I'd rather crash head-on into the side of a building, Sunstreaker." Arcee retorted.

"You got burned, bro." Sideswipe mocked.

"Shut up, Sideswipe."

Arcee tapped Hotrod on the shoulder to draw him away from the bickering brothers. Soon, the two Autobots started into the city at each other's side with not a word spoken between. Along the way, they caught a glimpse of Highbrow and Crosshairs once again bickering over something trivial. Hotrod had no intentions of breaking it up this time. They could've scrapped each other for all he cared.

Hotrod and Arcee continued to walk through the halls of the city before they came to a stop by the memorial wall. Hotrod studied the wall and the names that were listed on it, including the names of Springer, Sandstorm and Chromedome. Then his optics rested on the name of Kup, his former mentor and friend. It dawned on Hotrod that his earlier interactions with Highbrow and Crosshairs reminded him of all the times Kup had grilled him repeatedly. Hotrod never liked to listen, but Kup was still his friend.

"You okay, Hotrod?" Arcee asked.

"Just thinking about what Kup would've said to Highbrow and Crosshairs and how he would've put them to through ringer like he did me." Hotrod said with a smile.

"Knowing Kup as well we did, he probably would've regaled them with one of his many war stories." Arcee stated while shaking her head.

Hotrod had a pained expression on his face, not unlike the look of a soldier with Survivor's Guilt. "I wish he was still here to grill me some more. I miss him, Arcee. Springer, Tempest, Sandstorm… I miss all of them."

Arcee took Hotrod's hand in hers and drew herself closer to Hotrod. "I miss them, too."

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Ultra Magnus was engaged in a conversation with Jazz and Elita One. "Nothing out of the ordinary's been reported for far from the Lunar Base?" Magnus asked.

"Everything's been relatively quiet up there, according to Marissa and William." Elita confirmed.

I'm a little bit on the jealous side. The humans are up there on the surface of their Moon all thanks to us Autobots giving them a home." Jazz exclaimed, though neither Magnus nor Elita were sure if he was joking or not.

"Jazz, the Lunar Base was jointing built by humans and Autobots as a means of proper cooperation." Elita was quick to point out.

"I'm not saying anything, I'm just saying. At least they got Breakaway up there to keep them company. Again, just saying." Jazz said defensively.

"I wasn't aware that Breakaway was up on the Moon with Marissa and Will." Ultra Magnus stated.

"He requested it as a matter of fact," Elita One replied. "Optimus granted the request, seeing as Breakaway's been pretty moody since Seattle."

"I suppose I can understand why. We lost a lot of friends, but losing Tempest was especially hard on the kid." Ultra Magnus said.

"I still can't believe that it was Prowl that killed Tempest. I thought I knew him." Jazz mused grimly.

"That wasn't _our_ Prowl, Jazz. The _real_ Prowl died along with the rest of our friends." Ultra Magnus stated.

"At least we don't have to worry about losing more friends," Elita added just the trio reached an opening automatic door. Then they stopped at an unexpected sight. "Optimus…"

Optimus Prime was down on one knee near a console, holding his free hand against his head. Elita One was the first to rush to the aid of her Spark mate with Jazz and Ultra Magnus following. Optimus was unresponsive to the presence of his friends when Elita knelt down beside him. Jazz instinctively armed up and covered the room while Ultra Magnus joined Elita beside Optimus. Optimus was still unresponsive but he was at least functioning on his own. But Elita could tell something wasn't right. She cupped his face with her hand.

"Optimus, look at me. Look at me." she said.

Optimus finally shook his head and replied, "I'm… I'm alright, Elita. I seemed to have become a little bit dizzy."

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Elita said.

Optimus looked at Elita knowing she was right and he stood up with aid from Ultra Magnus. "You read me like scripture."

Jazz disarmed while Magnus asked, "What happened, Optimus?"

Optimus still looked dazed when he replied, "It would be difficult for me to explain, but I'm certain that… I believe I may have seen Alpha Trion."

"Alpha Trion? No offense Optimus, but that doesn't seem possible," Jazz exclaimed. "You said yourself that Alpha Trion merged with Vector Sigma back on Cybertron."

"There's more to it than that, Jazz. I…" Optimus suddenly stopped speaking when he saw Alpha Trion by the entrance.

Optimus pushed passed his fellow Autobots without even saying a word. Alpha Trion didn't react once as Optimus approached at rapid pace. Optimus was outside in the halls looked for some sign of his former mentor. But Alpha Trion was nowhere to be found, and Optimus began to wonder if Alpha Trion was even there in front of him at all. But Optimus was as certain as he could be that Alpha Trion was present despite evidence to the contrary. Then he heard a voice in the back of his mind. It was Alpha Trion's voice in a hushed whisper…

 _Find his legacy._

Optimus couldn't fathom what the meaning was behind those cryptic words before his entire body went rigid. All at once, Optimus started to experience something bizarre. Images began flooding his mind at breakneck speeds, coming far too quickly for Optimus to process them. But somehow, Optimus was able to make out bits and pieces of the images, and they weren't quite images but visions. They were visual references of a time long passed. Optimus was seeing into the past.

He could briefly glimpse the birth of the universe, and of Primus engaging Unicron in near endless conflict. He could see Unicron adopting his planet form while Primus became Cybertron. The creation of the Thirteen Primes was shown to Optimus before everything moved to the final moments of his own life. From there, Optimus saw Hotrod become Rodimus Prime, destroy Unicron, defeat the Quintessons and lead the Autobots against the Fallen. He then saw himself fighting alongside Sentinel Prime and then reclaiming the Matrix of Leadership.

Then things became even stranger; there were moments that hadn't happened. Optimus saw friends dying, killed by a being he'd never seen before. He saw wanton destruction in various places and then, Optimus saw into the red eyes of someone… familiar. The image seemed to whisper his name in a cold, menacing tone before everything fell away, and Optimus was snapped back into reality. Elita One was standing in front of him.

"Optimus…"

"Elita?"

"What happened, Optimus? You completely blacked out on us." Elita stated with a concerned expression on her face.

Optimus looked at Elita, then at Ultra Magnus and Jazz before going back to Elita. "I… I don't know."

* * *

"There were go; good as new," said Tarantulas, who then stepped back to allow Sentinel Prime to rise. Then he added, "Well, mostly good anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sentinel asked suspiciously.

Before Tarantulas could reply, Thunderwing entered the room. "How's our guest, Tarantulas?"

"His vital functions are restored to working orders and he should be able to walk a straight line. There were still certain… complications."

"Complications? What did you do?" Sentinel asked plain.

"You're conversion cog was sadly beyond repair, Sentinel, and we have no spare cogs on board to replace it. What that means is; you can no longer transform nor can you activate your weapons." Tarantulas explained to a startled Sentinel Prime.

"I suppose it's for the best, Tarantulas." Thunderwing smugly stated.

"For the best? Without my C-cog, I can't transform and I can get out off this ship." Sentinel complained.

"Even if you could transform, Sentinel, we're in space. You'd have nowhere to go and you know it. Plus, your vehicle form was ground-based, and ground-based vehicles don't so well in zero gravity environments." Thunderwing explained and approached Sentinel.

Sentinel was dejected but dared not to show it. "So, I'm a prisoner on this ship."

"You could leave anytime you want, Sentinel. We won't stop you, but the situation is what it is. There's no world for light years around so for the time being, you're our guest. Now, I believe I own you a tour of the _Harbinger._ "

With a flick of his finger, Thunderwing guided Sentinel to the exit. Sentinel reluctantly followed and just missed the sly smirk from Tarantulas.

* * *

The tour of the Harbinger had so far gone without incident, during which Thunderwing had proven to be, at least, a gracious host. Sentinel Prime followed throughout the tour, but he remained cautious of Thunderwing and whatever happened to be his true intentions. Despite obviously not being aligned with the Decepticons, Thunderwing was far too friendly to be considered an Autobot. Sentinel was certain that Thunderwing was hiding something. Regardless, Thunderwing continued the tour.

They'd traveled through the corridors of the _Harbinger_ , which were large and wide enough for the supposed crew to traverse. Sentinel Prime hadn't seen any other crewmembers save for Tarantulas, the Terrorcons and Thunderwing himself. Thunderwing assured him that there were more crewmembers aboard the _Harbinger_. The next area was an armory loaded to the brim with weapons that Sentinel had never seen before. It was also there that he'd seen two other crewmembers.

Thunderwing addressed the apparent armorers by the names Apeface and Snapdragon. Apeface turned and leered at Sentinel as if attempting to intimidate the former Prime. Sentinel wasn't having that but he wasn't about to retaliate in any way without Thunderwing acting on it. As for Snapdragon, the only thing more offensive than his appearance was the foul stench coming from him. It seemed far were than the smell from Blot of the Terrorcons. Sentinel wasn't sure what to make of the pair and ignored them. He followed Thunderwing as they continued the tour.

They passed by a sealed off area that Thunderwing claimed would be explored later. Thunderwing continued to lead Sentinel until they entered what likely the largest part of the ship. Sentinel was quick to surmise that they were on the bridge of the _Harbinger_ , and he saw several other crewmembers at varying stations. The Terrorcons were among those on the bridge but there were others as well. A crewmember turned in his chair revealing a white and green color scheme with black stripe on the white surface. He face was a pure green with red optics. Another helmsmen turned and this one appeared menacing with a green, black and purple color scheme.

Two others were at a hub working at an identical pace. Both shared the same silver purple and black scheme. In fact, they seemed to share the exact same appearance, leading Sentinel to believe they were twins. The chair at the center of the bridge turned to reveal yet another crewmember, female this time. She possessed a blue, gray and orange color scheme but at least appeared somewhat more attractive than the rest of the crew. Her stoic expression proved she didn't care for what anyone thought of her appearance.

"Well, I've given you grant tour of the Harbinger. How do you find it here?" Thunderwing asked.

Sentinel was still wary of the crew and of Thunderwing in particular. "It's… most impressive. I can't say the same of your crew."

"Apeface and Snapdragon tend to act without thinking as do the Terrorcon, but the rest of my crew know their position. Tigatron and Skullcrusher are my helmsmen. The twins Wingspan and Pounce serve as my communications officers and they also double as saboteurs."

"Impressive crew, Thunderwing." Sentinel said.

"Aren't they?" Thunderwing mused as the female approached him.

"Nothing to report as of yet, captain. All external sensors are quiet." She said.

Then Tigatron, the white and green helmsman, added, "We're still trying to see if the coordinates to our destination are accurate. It shouldn't take much longer."

"Well done, Tigatron. Keep me posted on any new developments."

The female then asked, "Is it wise to have the prisoner here the bridge, sir?"

Sentinel narrowed his optics while Thunderwing stated, "Sentinel Prime is a guest on my ship, Dark Steel. He's free to roam as much he pleases."

"Be that as it may, I think we should keep the armory and relic vault secured in the event of an escape attempt." Dark Steel stated.

"And where would I go," Sentinel asked. "As Thunderwing explained to me, we're in the middle of space."

"You'll have to forgive Dark Steel. As my First Officer, she takes her job very seriously." Thunderwing said.

"Captain, we've been successful in verifying the coordinates of the planet you've been seeking." Tigatron reported. "It's several light years away from our current position in a system called Sol."

"Sol?" Sentinel whispered.

"Are there any life bearing planet within this system?" Thunderwing asked, ignoring Sentinel.

"One world; made up of thirty percent landmass and seventy percent liquid with an oxygen based atmosphere. Its dominant species is organically-based humanoids."

It didn't take Sentinel long to determine the identity of the planet and he involuntarily whispered, "Earth!"

Thunderwing heard it and looked to Sentinel with a sinister smirk. "You've been there before, haven't you?"

Sentinel was obviously made, so he steadied himself and replied, "I was there."

"I see," Thunderwing replied and returned to the helm. "Lock onto the coordinates and set course for the planet Earth. I believe that is where I finally find it."

"Find what? What aren't you telling me, Thunderwing?"

Before Thunderwing replied, Dark Steel quickly interjected. "Captain, you've already revealed too much about the relics as it stands now. If you reveal anymore…"

"That's enough, Dark Steel," Thunderwing snapped, and that was the first time Sentinel had seen anything beyond charm and charisma. Thunderwing continued with Sentinel, "Sentinel Prime asked a valid question and I am inclined to respond."

"What do you want with Earth, Thunderwing?" Sentinel asked.

Thunderwing mused and replied, "Maybe it's better if I were to show you."

Thunderwing then left the bridge the way he and Sentinel Prime came, but Dark Steel followed them this time. Sentinel was aware of Dark Steel's mistrust in him and the feeling was mutual, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something… familiar about her. Regardless, Thunderwing led Sentinel down the corridor until they reached the locked the sealed off area. Thunderwing approached a console on the wall beside the door and pressed his hand against it. Within a moment, the console beeped and the door slid open leading into a large room full of containment apparatuses. Thunderwing and Dark Steel entered the room while Sentinel trailed behind them, in awe of what he was seeing within the room.

Numerous unusual looking devices were kept in stasis fields, levitated by a unseen force. Sentinel walked in front of Thunderwing and was heedless of Dark Steel trying to catch. Thunderwing stopped her and loud Sentinel to marvel at the devices. They all appeared ancient and yet, eerily similar to trinkets that could only be found in one place; Cybertron.

Sentinel confronted Thunderwing and asked, "What's is this place?"

"It's an interesting story, really. You see, I'm much more than a simple captain. I'm what you might call a collector." Thunderwing stated.

"A collector? A collector of what?"

Thunderwing walked by Sentinel with a cavalier strut. "Relics, of course, of a time long passed. I'm sure you've made of their shared design."

Sentinel did and he was shocked, "These relics are… Cybertronian. These are the relics of the Thirteen Primes."

Thunderwing continued his cavalier walk as he passed by each relic. "Yes. The first Transformers to exist, to stand together against Unicron and eventual, the first to splinter. And these are what remain of them. There's Apex Armor, the Sky Boom Shield, the Forge of Solus Prime, the Requiem Blaster, the Spark Extractor… my favorite, by the way…"

"All these relics were supposed to be lost after the fall of the Primes. How were you able to find them?" Sentinel asked.

"I have my ways, but there still one other relic I need to complete my collection. It's not so much a relic as it is a weapon and I have a hunch that Earth is where I'll find it." Thunderwing said.

"What are you after, Thunderwing?"

"To be blunt, it's the single most powerful weapon ever created or wielded by the leader of the Original Primes, and I'm sure you've heard of it," Thunderwing then closed the distance between his face and Sentinel's. "It's called… the Star Saber."

* * *

Author's Note: Uh oh, the plot thickens… a little bit anyway. Well, it's still early in the proceedings. Many happy returns for Hotrod, Jazz, Ultra Magnus, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Elita One and Arcee. Arcee debuts a new look inspired by her TFP appearance. We also get the first official appearance of Autobot newcomers Highbrow and Crosshairs.

Meanwhile, the _Harbinger_ crew is further introduced, including; Apeface, Snapdragon, Skullcrusher, the twins Wingspan and Pounce, Tigatron and Dark Steel.

Regarding Optimus Prime, he is apparently experiencing vision of Alpha Trion as well as events that have happened and other that have not… at least not yet. What does it all mean?

Thunderwing's mysterious motivation are made a touch clearer as he is collecting relics of the Original Primes, and the Stat Saber is his next target. This could also mean we're getting a glimpse of his signature vice; obsession. We all have our little problems.

Check it out and review and sent a question my way and I'll be back soon.


	4. A Prime Mystery

Disclaimer: Not that many reviews so far, but it is still relatively early in the story. So, I have to believe that many more will come. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Like always, I don't not the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter IV

Deep Space  
The _Harbinger_

Sentinel Prime wasn't sure if Thunderwing was serious or just borderline delusional. Maybe it was both considering the Harbinger's captain was talking about a relic long lost by the Original Primes, whose existence even up to now Sentinel didn't fully believe. Yet, the evidence in the vault spoke for itself; everything in the vault was tied to the Thirteen Primes in a certain capacity, but the Star Saber; no way in the flaming Pit did Sentinel believe it was as real as these other relics. Thunderwing thought otherwise.

"You're staring at me as though you don't believe me, Sentinel." Thunderwing said with a wry smirk.

"I _don't_ believe you, Thunderwing," Sentinel replied and backed away toward the relics. "The Star Saber is a myth passed down by malfunctioning zealots on Cybertron."

"And yet, the relics you see here prove otherwise." Thunderwing pointed out.

"Forgeries, all of them." Sentinel declared.

Thunderwing smiled as if he was on the verge of laughter, while Dark Steel remained silent and ever watching Sentinel Prime's every move. Convinced of the validity of the vault's contents or not, Sentinel likely could've used any one of them. But Dark Steel already had her weapon deployed. Thunderwing was still sauntering around the vault near the closest of the relic; the massive gun he called the Requiem Blaster. He glanced at Sentinel for a split second before slamming a switch on the pedestal. The light blue beam surrounding the Requiem Blaster disappeared and the Blaster dipped before being caught by Thunderwing.

Sentinel made a move but was held at bay by the tip of the Requiem Blaster held by Thunderwing. "The Requiem Blaster was created the Prime's smith, Solus Prime and it was specifically made for Megatronus. You would know him the Fallen."

"It still looks like a forgery to me, Thunderwing." Sentinel declared. Then he heard a low humming sound coming from the Blaster.

"Still think it's a forgery? Do you still think any of these relics are forgeries," Thunderwing pulled the Requiem Blaster back and returned it to its pedestal. "You even held the Matrix of Leadership at one point. Did you think that was a forgery as well?"

"How would you even know about the Matrix when we've never even met before on Cybertron?" Sentinel asked.

"Who ever said I was from Cybertron? In fact, who said I was even Cybertronian?" Thunderwing cryptically asked.

Then Thunderwing departed the relic vault with Dark Steel close behind, leaving Sentinel alone with his thoughts and the relics around him. Sentinel glanced around the relics with an unbelieving stare that he couldn't shake. He wasn't about to admit that he was convinced of the authenticity of the relics, especially the Requiem Blaster that Thunderwing had pointed in his face. Thunderwing could've blown Sentinel head's clean off if he wanted to, but he didn't. There was something else; Thunderwing seemed to hint that he wasn't Cybertronian.

Sentinel wasn't buying it. Maybe Thunderwing was telling truth since Sentinel hadn't met hit before now. Conversely, maybe Thunderwing was Cybertronian and had simply renowned his species. Most likely, Thunderwing was a raving lunatic. Anyone who'd spent their lives searching for old relics of the Primes was likely a raving lunatic. As soon as Sentinel thought this, Thunderwing returned to the vault.

"Are you coming, Sentinel?" Then he was gone as quickly as he appeared.

Sentinel thought, _Definitely a lunatic!_

* * *

"There is no need for this, Triage. I am perfectly fine and able." Optimus Prime claimed while was clearly lying on an operating table being check on.

"As you attending doctor, I would suggest that I'm the one to decide if you're fine and able, Optimus," declared Triage, the new Autobot medical officer and another of the new additions to Earth. "Miss Carlo, what's the status of Optimus' vital signs?"

Off to the near side of the operating table, Verity Carlo was monitoring Optimus Prime's vitals. "Readings appear normal, Triage. Aside from your far less than stellar bedside manner, Optimus is relatively healthy."

Triage spun around and glared at Verity. "Let me remind you that my _bedside manner_ is not the purpose of this operation."

"Let me remind you that I'm you're medical assistant and I'm doing more than you are now." Verity snapped back.

"You're only my assistant due to being assigned to me by Optimus Prime himself. It would behoove you to show a little bit of respect." Triage declared.

"Doctor, Verity is doing an exceptional job with her assistance. Insulting her will not change anything." Optimus declared.

"It'll piss me off." Verity mumbled to herself.

Elita One entered the medical area and asked, "What's the prognosis, Triage?"

Triage backed away from the table, allowing Optimus Prime to rise. "All the initial readings appear to be good. From a physical standpoint, Optimus is perfectly healthy."

"What about psychologically?" Elita asked.

"I did pick up some unusual patterns in Optimus' meta-processor, signs typically associated with intense dreaming." Verity stated, and she showed a recording of the patterns on the medical screen.

"Dreaming has an association with humans, not Transformers. When a Transformer is extensively damaged, they go into stasis lock." Triage argued.

"Yeah that's true, except Optimus was wide awake and standing when he, uh, went still." Verity said.

"Such a keen observation, and from a human. What has the universe come to." Triage sarcastically spat.

"I could same the same about your brutal sarcasm, Triage." Verity bit back.

Optimus Prime was already upright and started to leave the med bay. "Thank you all for your concern, but I am fine now. If you'll excuse me…" Then he walked out of the med bay.

"See what you did, Triage?" Verity snapped, finally getting the last word.

Triage tried to argue the need to run more tests, but Optimus Prime was already gone. Elita One was unconvinced of Optimus Prime's assurance of his wellbeing, and she even noted he was being surprisingly tightlipped about it. She ran out of the med bay after Optimus, who was halfway down the corridor seemingly going nowhere.

"Optimus," Elita called out, but Optimus didn't stop. "Optimus," she called out again, but still he didn't stop. "ORION!" Elita finally shouted.

Optimus finally stopped to the calling of his former identity. Without turning, he said, "You haven't called addressed me by than name since the Great War, Elita."

"I figured it was best possible way to get your attention for our more _personal_ moments," Elita said as she approached Optimus and stood in front of him. "Plus I can usually tell when something is bothering you, and something is definitely bothering you."

Optimus knew he wasn't going to be able to dissuade Elita whenever she was getting to the heart of the matter. "We must keep this confidential, at least for the time being."

"What's with you, Optimus? You haven't been the same since you returned. Does this have anything to do with what you think you may have seen?"

"If you mean Alpha Trion, I believe it does. I understand the strangeness of it all, but I saw him and I heard him speak to me." Optimus said.

"What did he say?" Elita asked.

"He said, _find his legacy_. I have yet to determine the meaning behind his words, but I believe there is some broader purpose behind them."

"But that's not all you experienced is it?" Elita said, and Optimus shook his head.

"It is not. I've seen moments of the past; my death, Unicron's attack on Cybertron, the Quintessons, my rebirth…"

"And…"

"And… I've also seen events that may or may not come to pass," Optimus continued, and it sounded more and more odd to Elita. "I believe that something is going to happen."

"A Decepticon attack?" Elita theorized.

"That, I can not answer."

* * *

In the communications tower, Cerebros, Carly and Daniel Witwicky were busy monitoring the goings on throughout the city. Spike and Bumblebee had only recently arrived and offered to assist, although Carly claimed to have everything under control even though Bumblebee insisted on helping her. So, Spike focused his energies on assisting Cerebros and Daniel. Daniel had matured a great deal since Seattle, becoming a more serious and responsible person since he and Carly got together. Maybe the newfound of Hotrod had an effect on Daniel, since they were as close as brother. Seeing his son take on new responsibilities filled Spike with a sense of pride, but it also reminded him that he wasn't going to be around forever. Spike wasn't sure if Carly had come to the same conclusion, but she'd no doubt also be proud of their son.

" _Lunar Base to Spike. Hello!"_ The somewhat humorous chiming of William Lennox brought Spike out of his stupor.

"What, I'm sorry, Will…"

" _I was saying that the ceremony at the White House didn't go as well."_ Lennox claimed through a monitor and reporting from the Lunar Base on the Moon.

"Oh, well it was a lot less than ideal when you factor in that Josie Beller lady. I've never met anybody who hated the Transformers that much since Doctor Archeville." Spike said.

" _I've heard of him but never met him. I've met Beller a couple of times, though. Based on my personal experiences, it's seems like she was a total bitch from the day she was born."_ Lennox implied.

"It gets worse than that, William." Carly chimed in and drew Spike's attention.

" _How do you figure that?"_ Lennox asked.

"This Josie Beller woman had a fiancé that was killed in Seattle the day of the invasion. That's according to Chip's statement." Carly explained.

"That' would be another of the many reason why I detest conflict." Cerebros added.

"That's kind of why you don't fight." Bumblebee stated.

"Changing the subject, how're things doing between you and Marissa?" Spike asked.

" _Things are good up here; Marissa's busy, but I think she likes it that way,"_ Lennox said. _"Breakaway is at least trying to keep busy, anything to get his mind off things, I guess."_

"He's still broken up about Tempest, isn't he? I suppose I can understand that, but he'll have to come to terms with it at some point." Carly stated.

" _Survivor's Guilt is a terrible thing, but that's kid's tougher than he looks. Other than that, back to my report; nothing unusual up here. We shot down a couple small meteors; nothing serious and no damage done."_

"No Decepticon activity?" Spike asked.

" _All quiet."_

"Alright, keep us posted." Spike said before the screen went black.

"Hey Dad, is Breakaway doing okay up on the Moon?" Daniel asked.

"It's hard to say, Daniel. Losing Tempest was hard on all of us, but she and Breakaway shared a connection that ran deeper than friendship."

"Breakaway told me that he had to kill Tempest when she was reanimated as a Darkened creature. There no way that could've been easy." Daniel said about the Darkened that invaded Seattle.

"He knew that thing wasn't Tempest, but it still ripped away at him after he had destroyed it," Bumblebee added. "Still can't believe that Prowl killed her, but I keep reminding myself that Prowl was possessed by the Fallen."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to continue working here." Cerebros said, and everyone went back to work.

* * *

Optimus Prime was in the war room and at Talatraan II where he was typing away on the console as if in search of something. That was precisely what he was doing; in particular, he was searching for records of the Great War that led to Cybertron becoming the barren world it had been for so long. Even more specifically, Optimus was searching for any records of Alpha Trion; anything of significance prior to his mentor's merging with Vector Sigma. So far, nothing stood out aside from Alpha Trion's instrumental role in rebuilding Orion Pax into Optimus Prime and Ariel into Elita One. Optimus couldn't help but think that even in death, Alpha Trion was still trying to teach him things. At the same time, Optimus believed there were thing Alpha Trion hadn't told him.

He continued to work diligently with Talatraan II when he heard his name spoken like a faint whisper. Optimus stopped briefly to look around for the location, but he saw nothing. Hotrod had spoken of similar instances like this to Optimus, and it made Optimus wonder if it was now happening to him. He chose to dismiss it for the moment and return to his work. Then his name was whispered again, and Optimus stopped what was doing completely. He spun around and scanned the war room.

He found nothing once more, but he maintained his composer without snapping once. "Whoever you are, I order you to show yourself at once."

" _Optimus…"_ the voice whispered, and Optimus reacted by looking around for the source. _"Optimus Prime…"_ the voice whispered again.

"I will not say it again; reveal yourself." Optimus said.

Then everything around Optimus Prime seemed to melt away into nothing, leaving Optimus standing in total darkness. A faint light began to form, growing brighter with every second that passed by. Optimus wasn't sure if it was real or if it was all in his mind, but he felt at peace as the light brightened around him. It occurred to Optimus the light was similar to what he first witnessed when joined the Matrix of Leadership after his supposed death. In that moment, he communed briefly with Alpha Trion. Optimus knew however that he wasn't dead this time.

" _Hello, Optimus Prime."_ the voice greeted, and Optimus knew it was Alpha Trion's voice. He turned and Alpha Trion was standing right in front of him.

"Alpha Trion," Optimus greeted his former mentor and friend. "How is this possible? I was on Cybertron when you merged with Vector Sigma."

" _And yet, here I stand before you. I have to say, it is good to see you again, Optimus Prime."_

Optimus felt at ease with Alpha Trion standing before him, although he was sure it wasn't really Alpha Trion. "It is good to see you too, but why have you come back?"

Alpha Trion, or the image of him at least, stepped to the side as if in thought before he spoke out. _"I've come to warn you, Optimus. There are dark times approaching; an unexpected enemy will threaten the world you've sworn to protect. If you are not ready, those you hold most dear will suffer."_

"The Decepticons?"

" _In truth, I am unsure of this threat's identity. I cannot say for certain if it represents the Decepticons… or even the Autobots. But I do know that it seeks a relic of a time long passed. The legacy of our kind, our forefathers."_

"The Thirteen Primes," Optimus deduced, and then he was quick to deduced something else that, in the recesses of his thoughts, he'd suspected all along. "You are one of them, aren't you?"

" _I am. I was, just as was Vector Prime, Solus Prime, Alchemist Prime, and Onyx Prime… Megatronus… and the first true leader of us all; Prima."_

"This threat of which you speak; who is it? What does it want?" Optimus Prime asked.

" _I am afraid that I can say no more at this moment, Optimus. All I can tell you is that you must find our legacy."_ Then Alpha Trion began to slowly fade away.

"I do not understand," Optimus said as Alpha Trion faded out of existence. "Alpha Trion, wait…"

But Alpha Trion was gone, and Optimus Prime was seemingly returned to the war room. Nothing was different by even a slight margin. Everything that was in the war room was in its rightful place. None of the other Autobots had entered. Optimus Prime was alone. But he didn't believe he actually was alone; he didn't feel alone. He was so certain that Alpha Trion was there speaker directly to him that Optimus couldn't physically interacted with him. But Alpha Trion, Optimus knew well enough, was dead, merged with Vector Sigma. But he was somehow on Earth as well.

Optimus Prime was also surprised to realize that Alpha Trion was one of the Thirteen Original Primes. It was notion that long suspected and even rumored, but Optimus never really gave it much thought. But he deduced it so easily, and now he'd been warned of a new threat to the Autobot's adopted home. The only way Optimus could possibly stop this mysterious new threat was, according to Alpha Trion, to find their legacy. Alpha Trion had to be talking about the legacy of the Original Primes. It wasn't much to go on.

But maybe there was something more he could find from Talatraan II, and Optimus returned to his post and started his search. This time, he searched for any available records regarding the Thirteen Original Primes. Thanks to Talatraan II being regularly updated, Optimus was able to find accounts of previous events like the Great War, the Siege of Autobot City or Invasion of Seattle. Then he found exactly what he was looking for; any available records of the Thirteen Primes, and there was plenty of it.

Optimus Prime studied each and every record of each one of the Original Primes, to determine if there was a connection with the mysterious threat. The first record displayed on the screen was referencing Prima, the leader of the Primes appearing in silver armor. The next image to follow was Vector Prime, described as an interdimensional traveler of time and space. Then there was an image Solus Prime, whom Optimus quickly noted was female. She was the weapon smith of the Primes.

Optimus Prime continued to study the records on each and every Original Prime. He noted them one by one; Micronus, Alchemist, Nexus, Onyx, Amalgamous, Quintus and Liege Maximo before it inexplicably ended. There was no mention of Megatronus, which was understandable considering what he had later become. There was nothing on Alpha Trion being one of the Primes either, further fueling Optimus Prime's many questions without answers. Something else was off; the records referenced thirteen Primes but only displayed ten of them. Alpha Trion and the Fallen were the other two, but the thirteenth and final Prime's identity was a mystery.

"What are you not telling me, Alpha Trion?" Optimus mused to himself.

Thinking more and more to himself regarding the cryptic nature of Alpha Trion's word, Optimus Prime gazed back up at the screen to study it. The Thirteenth Prime was still a mystery to Optimus and he knew trying to solve it now would be futile. He brought up the image of Prima and only now did he make note of the weapon in his hand. It was an ornate blade that displayed certain elegance but also commanded authority. It was called the Star Saber, though no Cybertronian, Autobot or Decepticon, had ever found it.

Then it struck Optimus Prime; the mysterious threat of which Alpha Trion spoke may be searching for the Star Saber, and the threat may have determined that it might be on Earth. But no had ever found it or knew of its location, and it filled Optimus Prime with dread that whoever is searching for the Star Saber would stop at nothing short of razing Earth into sunders to find it. Optimus Prime knew he had to prevent that from happening, but he also that he needed to learn more about the mysterious new threat… and that was information that was currently in very short supply.

* * *

Author's note: I'll stop right there for now and pick it up later. There isn't much going on here, but it is still early in the story. Sentinel is right to think that Thunderwing is a lunatic.

This chapter sees the return of Daniel, Verity, Carly and Cerebros. William Lennox also appears so expect Marissa Fairborne to pop up as well.

A brand new addition to the cast is Triage, a character from the shut down Transformers Universe MOTA game. Triage is the new Autobot medic, who I see as being model after TFP Ratchet, so I suggest looking him up.

Alpha Trion finally makes his first appearance along with references to the Thirteen Primes. Optimus is aware of the Star Saber, but the identity of the Thirteenth Prime is a mystery. If you spoil it, I'll find you! I WILL FIND YOU!

Please leave a few reviews and I'll return with more. And remember… I WILL LOOK FOR YOU, I WILL FIND YOU…. AND I WILL… oh, sorry!


	5. The Dark Side Of Obsession

Disclaimer: I hope everybody is having a Happy Memorial Day and saluting our fighting men and women of the US Armed Forces as well as the many Veterans. Here's the next chapter of the story so I hope you like.

* * *

Chapter V

Sol System  
Lunar Surface of the Moon

The jointly created Human/Autobot Lunar Defense Outpost was established shortly after the Siege of Autobot City nearly three years ago. It then eventually became the primary base of operations after the previous orbital station was decommissioned. According to Marissa Fairborne, she wanted to be able to walk on solid ground. Every bit of technology was moved to the Lunar Outpost, including every scrap of info on any recent Decepticon activity since Seattle. There had been very little activity since then.

Due to the lack of Decepticon incidents since the truce was established, Breakaway was left in a state of boredom. Assigned to guard duty at the Base, the formerly enthusiastic Autobot was now left a brooding, ant-social loner. He often questioned why he even rejoined the Autobots at all after the loss of Tempest. Some of the other Autobots tried to ease him through the emotional state he was in. Breakaway, while appreciative of their efforts, didn't want to hear it.

Since his assignment to the base, he spent most of his time sitting outside the on the lunar surface with his sniper rifle, and the only joy he found of late was shooting meteors out of the sky. A small lunar vehicle approached the wayward Autobot and it was Marissa Fairborne riding inside of it. She was wearing an advanced Exo suit for the harsh environment of the Moon courtesy of Brainstorm and Wheeljack, before the latter returned to Cybertron with Rattletrap.

"You look like you could use some company, Breakaway." she said.

Without glancing at the human woman in the suit, Breakaway replied, "It's a free galaxy; knock yourself out."

Marissa took the invitation and sat on a rock that was decidedly larger that she was, but smaller the Breakaway all the same. "You feel like talking some more?"

"No."

"You sure? It might do you some good to talk about it." Marissa stated.

"I'm not in the mood for talking at the moment, Marissa." Breakaway said.

Marissa understood but she pressed on. "You know, it's been seven months. I'd think after seven month, you be finally ready to let go," she said, but Breakaway barely acknowledged so she continued, "Look, I get it. You and Tempest were almost inseparable. Losing her the way that we did…"

"The way _I_ did, Marissa. She was murdered and I wasn't there to help her. I let her die when she needed me the most. Then, I had to kill her again." Breakaway stated with a hint of self-resentment.

"That monster, the monster you killed, wasn't Tempest and you know. If one of my friends had been turned into one of those things from the invasion…"

"What would you have done?" Breakaway snapped.

Marissa wasn't upset but she was mildly annoyed and she answered, "I'd have pulled the trigger, put them out of their misery. So in retrospect, you did the right thing."

"I did the right thing, but I don't feel any better about it. Tempest is still dead and I don't… I don't think I'll ever get over it." Breakaway admitted sadly.

Marissa appeared to be a loss for words and she knew she wasn't going to get through to Breakaway. So as she prepared to return to her duties, she said to him, "We have an old on Earth, Breakaway; _Let old ghosts rest_. You might want to think about it."

Then returning to her vehicle, Marissa started to make her way back toward the entry point of the Lunar Base. Breakaway was left alone to contemplate the thought Marissa left him, but he only disregarded them as words. He gazed up at the infinite numbers of stars in space, but all he though about was Tempest and how he couldn't save her. All he thought about was how he, in his own mind, let her down when she needed him most. Or, maybe Marissa was right. Maybe Breakaway was holding on to the memory of Tempest for too long.

 _Let old ghost rest_ ; that was what Marissa said. Breakaway was going to have a tough time trying to decipher that term. He did consider it, if only to acknowledge the wisdom of the human race. Breakaway thought about the number of allies that Marissa and Will had lost while fighting for their home against the Decepticons. They understood as soldiers always did, so Breakaway was at able to consider Marissa's words. It just didn't make him feel any better.

Then something caught Breakaway's optics; something odd. It appeared like a small section of stars were moving toward the Moon. Breakaway stood up and brought his rifle to bear without arming it. He gazed through scope at the section and he could almost barely make out the moving stars.

"What the scrap is that?" he asked himself. In a matter of moments, he was going to find out.

* * *

William Lennox entered into the command center of the Lunar Base after receiving a summons and he was quick to approach a young cadet at the helm. "What do we got?"

The cadet, whose name escaped Will, directed the Major's attention to a radar screen on the console, which displayed a large blip being tracked. "We're tracking a unknown object approaching from deep space."

"Is it another meteor? A comet, maybe?" Lennox said.

"Doubtful, sir. It's moving too slowly to be a celestial body of any kind. Plus, meteors and comets don't exactly make course corrections." the cadet stated.

Lennox glanced at the cadet when Marissa arrived and stood beside him. "How's the kid?" he asked her.

"Still brooding. I've tried to ease the pain for him, get him to lighten with some words of encouragement." Marissa exclaimed with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeah, we've all suffered loss in a one way, shape or form. Maybe we should help get a date once we're back on Earth." Lennox stated, and it seemed like he bringing something up for Marissa to decipher.

Marissa smiled and asked, "Are you asking me out on a date, Major?"

Lennox smiled back and replied, "Maybe?"

The cadet had been listening to whole exchange and he was left somewhat uncomfortable. "Uh, Major, would you like me to bring up a visual of the object in question?"

Brought out of the brief exchange of affection, Lennox replied, "Yeah, go ahead."

Marissa lightly chuckled and Lennox leered at her. Then their collective expressions changed to seriousness once the main video screen came to life. It seemed like the collective jaws of everyone in the room dropped at the sight of what appeared to be a ship. It was massive and darkly lit, with more than enough feature to indicate that it was alien in nature and design. Lennox and Marissa quickly decided without the other knowing it that they didn't like the look of the ship. Judging by the appearance and the overall feeling of dread, the ship was similar to something the Decepticons usually operated. But Lennox wasn't about to test the theory of hostility. First, he and Marissa needed to know what they were seeing.

"Have we been able to make contact with the vessel?" Lennox asked the cadet.

Another officer next to the cadet, slightly older, replied, "We've been attempting to hail for the passed five minutes or so with no reply. So far, we've gotten no more than radio silence from their end."

"Will, I'm getting a rather bad vibe from that ship. Someone has to be at the helm and for whatever reason, they're not responding," Marissa said before she looked to the cadet. "See if you scanned the vessel for any signs of life, and I'd like a video reference for later study as soon as possible."

"You heard the Director, people. Get on it." Lennox added.

* * *

Aboard the _Harbinger_ , the twins called Wingspan and Pounce were listening into the latest in a series of communication from the Lunar Base on the Moon. "Captain, they appear to be sending us yet another hail. Should we respond or hold?" they both asked simultaneously.

Thunderwing was standing near the helm with his one arm behind his back and the other rubbing his chin. Sentinel Prime, still untrusting of Thunderwing, stood close behind him with his arms crossed. Dark Steel was closest to the helm where Tigatron and Skullcrusher waited for the next order. Thunderwing was contemplating replying to the humans of the Lunar Base, this much Sentinel knew. Dark Steel seemed to know it also as did Tigatron. Tigatron struck Sentinel as the more honorable of the crew, and Sentinel consider the possible forming of an alliance, albeit temporary.

"Captain, should we not respond?" Tigatron asked. Skullcrusher merely snarled.

Thunderwing looked to Wingspan and Pounce and told them, "Patch the message through; all channels."

" _Attention unidentified alien vessel, this is the Earth Defense Command Lunar Outpost. You are currently entering restricted space without proper authorization. Please respond, over…"_

Thunderwing drew a closer to the helm until he stood beside Dark Steel and just behind Tigatron. "Captain, how should we reply?" Dark Steel asked.

Before Thunderwing said anything, a new voice came through on the hail. _"This Major William Lennox of Earth Defense Command and appointed liaison for the United States Military. You are hereby ordered to hold your current position and identify yourself."_

Thunderwing continued to process a thought with Sentinel Prime still watching him closely. Then the _Harbinger_ captain said out loud, "Skullcrusher, ready all weapon systems and prepare to fire on my mark."

"What?" Sentinel bellowed in shock.

Skullcrusher was already gleefully preparing the Harbinger's weapons while Tigatron looked at his fellow helmsman in surprise. Dark Steel was less stunned but she still displayed a slight trepidation as Thunderwing sauntered to the captain's chair. Sentinel Prime was still stunned by the unexpected turn of event as Thunderwing took his seat. There he sat, arrogantly slouching in the chair as Sentinel confronted him. Dark Steel was quick to react to Sentinel's action, but Thunderwing waved her off.

"What are you doing, Thunderwing?"

"The humans presume to make demands of me for no other reason than to satisfy themselves. I intend to show them why that's a bad idea." Thunderwing claimed.

"This is madness. You can't do this, Thunderwing." Sentinel shouted.

"Weapon systems armed and ready, captain." Skullcrusher stated.

"Hold," Thunderwing said and looked to Sentinel. "You're right, Sentinel. I have no real intention to massacre a base full of humans, at least so long as you work with me."

"How?"

"The Star Saber is on Earth somewhere, and I'm convinced you know where it's hidden. Tell me it's location and I will order a ceasefire." Thunderwing explained.

"You can't be serious. Up until recently, I've never known of the Star Saber's existence, let alone it's location on Earth." Sentinel argued.

"So, you're saying you won't help me?" Thunderwing asked with a threatening tone.

"I'm saying I _can't_ help you because I don't know where the Star Saber is or if it's even on Earth." Sentinel clarified.

Thunderwing looked to the helm and said, "Prepare to open fire on my mark."

"Don't do this, Thunderwing." Sentinel pleaded.

Ignoring Sentinel, Thunderwing shouted, "Open fire!"

* * *

Breakaway still had the ship in the sights of his rifle. He was sure he'd seen some thing else; some form of light that was suddenly getting larger and brighter. Then he dropped his rifle to the side and jumped out of the way of oncoming laser fire. The laser slammed into the lunar surface and left a creature where Breakaway was standing moments ago. Breakaway was lucky to have moved in time, but more laser fire rained down on the Lunar Base without warning. Within a matter of moments, the entire Lunar Base was under heavy assault and it was seemingly for no reason.

Meanwhile, inside of the base, the personnel were suddenly scurrying around for their lives. There were casualties within moments of the unprovoked attack. Many of personnel laid dead or dying either of blunt trauma, incinerations or, perhaps worst of all, vacuum exposure. Any attempts from surviving personnel to help their comrades were dashed seconds later by stray attacks. It was in the command center that Marissa and Will were attempting to make contact with Autobot City.

"This is Major Lennox to Autobot City; we're under heavy attack by an unidentified enemy. Repeat; why are under attack by an unidentified enemy."

"They're not responding, communications uplink's been severed." A lone officer replied moments before her console exploded in her face, killing her instantly.

"We need to order an evacuation of the base," Marissa shouted over the loud explosions in around the base. "Short wave transmitter is still functional."

"I got it," Lennox said and quickly got to the speaking through the short wave transmitters. "All hands, this is Major Lennox. I'm ordering an immediate evacuation. All hands to the escape shuttles; this is not a drill. I repeat; this is not a drill."

Marissa then used the short wave transmitter. "Breakaway, it's Marissa. Where are you?"

From outside of the base, Breakaway was trying to fight back against the attacking ship, but his sniper rifle was utterly useless. _"I'm still outside and I'm going to try to get to you as soon as possible. Just stay mobile and get to the airlock; I'll meet you there."_

"Marissa, we've got to get the hell out of here and I mean right now." Lennox shouted over the noises of explosions and falling debris. Taking Marissa's arm, they started to hustle out of the command center.

* * *

On the Harbinger's bridge, Sentinel Prime watched in stunned silence as the Lunar Base was being decimated. "Thunderwing, stop this. Stop this now."

"Hold fire," Thunderwing surprisingly ordered before he looked to Sentinel. "Is there a problem, Sentinel?"

"A problem? You just attacked a defenseless outpost for no reason." Sentinel stated angrily.

"That would be a matter of perspective, I think."

Sentinel forcefully pointed at the screen and shouted, "This is nothing short of pure lunacy, and it's all due to you wanting a relic that may not even be on Earth."

"If it is that the safety of the humans concerns you so much, then you will tell where I might find the Star Saber." Thunderwing declared, and it became obvious that he was obsessed with finding the relic.

"I told you, I don't even know if it's anywhere on Earth." Sentinel clarified once again.

"That's a shame," Thunderwing mulled and went back to the operation. "Continue firing."

"No, I won't allow this." Sentinel declared and stormed the helm.

Tigatron and Skullcrusher weren't prepared for Sentinel Prime to rush them. Sentinel pushed Tigatron out of his seat while also knocking Skullcrusher out of his. But long before he could even touch the console, Sentinel suddenly felt a massive jolt of power surging throughout his entire body. His body went still and rigid. It felt like the absolute worst pain he'd ever experienced since his time serving the Fallen. Sentinel collapse to the floor still in agony. Ribbons of electrical sparks danced along his body, which was convulsing from the pain. Sentinel looked back at Thunderwing and noticed he was doing something with his free right hand on his left wrist. Whatever it was, it was causing Sentinel Prime unbearable pain.

Thunderwing stalked forward as Skullcrusher and Tigatron returned to their posts, and he knelt down beside Sentinel. "You must think me mad and maybe even a little bit obsessed, but I have a self-appointed duty to collect and understand the legacy of the Original Primes. I will not allow _**anyone**_ to prevent me from carrying it out."

* * *

The attacking ship continued its assault on the Lunar Base without pause and inside, Marissa, Lennox and a few survivors were rushing to get to the escape shuttles. Some managed to get the shuttles and take off. Others weren't as fortunate. Knowing that they could do no more to aid their comrades, Marissa and Lennox kept going. They managed to get their Exo suits on and get to the airlock. But once the airlock was opened, the one shuttle they were hoping to use was already destroyed.

"They took out the shuttle." Marissa said.

"No shit? Breakaway, where are you?" Lennox shouted.

" _I'm still dodging laser fire over here but I'll try to get to you. Just stand by."_ Breakaway called in from wherever he was on the Moon.

"Stand by for what; to get vaporized? Hurry the hell up!" Lennox shouted back.

"We can't stay here, Breakaway. We have to make a run for it. I'm activating my tracking beacon; find us fast." Marissa pleaded just as another laser blast struck nearby.

The shockwave threw the humans a ways across from the Lunar Base, but they recovered long enough to stand up. A large piece of shrapnel from the base landed in between them. Marissa feared Lennox was dead before Lennox emerged from the other side. Then they started to run along the lunar surface, both being thankful for the built-in anti-gravity boots of their suits. Unfortunately, the suits also slowed them down and they didn't have transformation functions. All they could do was run.

There was constant laser fire and explosions all around them as they tried to find cover. It was as if the ship was simply targeting at random. Marissa fell down to her knees several times, prompting Lennox to help her back up. Conversing, Lennox dropped twice as many times but he was able to right himself and keep running. Marisa glanced back and saw the horrible image of the Lunar Base in ruins. She tried desperately not to think of the poor souls that never made it out. Eventually and with much difficulty, Marissa and Lennox found cover in the form an outcropping.

Laser fire continued to rain down on the Lunar Base without pause, prompting Marissa and Lennox to cover up even in hiding. All the while, they wondered where was Breakaway and even if he was still active. Lennox looked back and up at the stars where he could barely make out the vessel that was laying waste to the Lunar Base. It was so random and out of nowhere that he wasn't sure whether or not the Decepticons were behind it. Marissa wasn't eager to look back. She hardly became scared of anything, but this assault had her shaking in fear.

"Marissa…" Lennox called out over the explosions.

"Yeah…"

"For what its worth, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Lennox produced a small box and opened it, revealing a small ring with a diamond encrusted in it. "I should've done this earlier after Seattle. I wanted to wait until we got back to Earth to ask you to marry me."

Marissa was speechless at the sight of the ring from Lennox. Then she smiled and shouted, "Yes, Will. I'll marry you when we get home."

" _Breakaway to Lennox and Marissa. I've got you're position; stand by."_

A moment later, Breakaway appeared in his jet form and found Marissa and Lennox hidden underneath the outcropping. As soon as Breakaway landed as close as he could, Marissa and Lennox gave each other a nod. Then they made a break for it. The laser fire continued all around them with no end in sight. Marissa managed to get ahead of Lennox who was trailing behind. Lennox was trailing behind intentionally to ensure that Marissa made it to Breakaway. Marissa glanced back at Lennox and urged for him to move faster. They were going to make it; they had to make it. Then everything became brighter than the surface of the Sun.

A massive explosion rocked Marissa to the ground, but it also sent Lennox spiraling upward. Lennox's anti-gravity function in his suit kicked in and sent him back to the ground. By the time Marissa recovered, she saw Lennox down on the ground and not moving with his back to her. She rushed to his side and turned him over, and then heart sank at what she found. Lennox's eyes were wide open but lifeless, his mouth agape but unmoving with trickles of blood seeping out it. The unbreakable dome covering Lennox head was shattered open and it was apparent what had happened.

Marissa couldn't believe it and she didn't want to believe it, but as she could hear Breakaway's pleas to move, she had no choice but to leave. Before she did though, Marissa saw the in the final moment of his sudden death, Lennox was still holding onto the box with the ring inside of it. She took it and gently closed Will's eyes before leaving him behind and entering Breakaway's open canopy. Breakaway commenced his vertical takeoff even before closing the canopy and soon after that, they left the orbit of the Moon. Marissa looked out through the canopy back at the Lunar Base, now a mass grave of countless humans made casualties of an unproved attack by an unknown enemy. But she was really thinking of Lennox and he so suddenly taken from her. She opened the box, gazing at the ring that was to signify an engagement to Lennox that was now never going to happen.

"Marissa," Breakaway whispered. "We have to go. We have to notify Optimus."

Marissa didn't argue as Breakaway rocketed back to Earth.

* * *

Sentinel could only watch in horror at the sight of the Lunar Base eradicated for no reason other that the twisted whims of Thunderwing. Thunderwing still hung over Sentinel with little to no empathy whatsoever. It was so calculating and cold, and yet Thunderwing showed no emotion at all only indifference. Dark Steel approached Thunderwing and stood over Sentinel as he continued to writhe in agony. Tigatron looked back briefly and turned away before looking over at Skullcrusher, who had a sick smile on his face.

"Dark Steel, take Sentinel back to the infirmary. Have Tarantulas examine him further. I don't want another incident on my bridge."

"Yes sir." Dark Steel said loyally and hoisted Sentinel up.

"You… you killed all those humans. Why?" Sentinel managed to say.

Thunderwing leered at Sentinel and replied, "I told you; I just want the Star Saber, and I won't let anyone prevent me from taking it… not even a Prime."

With that, Sentinel Prime was taken away to the infirmary while Thunderwing returned to the captain's chair. Of all the crewmembers of the Harbinger, Tigatron was the most troubled. But he wasn't sure how to address his concerns with angering Thunderwing. So he was forced to wait until the time was right. He just had to hope that Thunderwing was going to be in a better mood when he did finally address the issue.

* * *

Author's note: Now it's starting to get gritty. We get to the see the true scope of the main antagonist's efforts and how far he'll go to achieve what he wants. Plus, he's pretty sadistic; like, 'General Zod' sadistic with a line out of _Man Of Steel_.

Breakaway returns, a little darker and more brooding after the death of Tempest in the last story. Marissa Fairborne and William Lennox return, but unfortunately, Lennox has been killed off pretty early. He was even going to marry Marissa. That's so sad.

Out of all of the Harbinger's crew, it seems that Tigatron is the only one with a conscience. I guess that would edge him toward his Beast Wars counterpart.

So anyway, drop in a few reviews and I shall return. Happy Memorial Day.


	6. Suspicions And Ambitions

Disclaimer: I'll make this fast so I won't take up too much time. I don't own the rights to Transformers. Enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

Chapter VI

Washington DC  
Earth

Josie Beller stormed through the White House without even slowing to be confronted by the Secret Service agents. Most didn't try to stop her anyway because of her military rank, but the secretary by the entrance into the meeting room got up from her desk. Josie slowed her pace but didn't stop until she and the secretary came face to face.

"I'm sorry, Lt. Beller, but the President is in the middle of a meeting and cannot be disturbed at…"

"Look, little girl; I don't give a rat's ass if he's in there getting laid. He's not the first President to do that. I'm going in there and if you want to try and stop me, go right ahead." Josie snapped and made a move for the door.

The secretary was brave enough to throw her arm across the door to keep Josie out. "I can't let you into the meeting room, Lieutenant."

Josie was getting annoyed and loomed over the girl. "You like that arm? You better move before I break it off."

It wasn't a threat, the secretary thought to herself. It was a borderline promise and Josie looked more that capable of tearing the young woman's arm clean off. She ultimately dropped her arm away from the door and slunk back to her desk. Josie gave the weakling secretary no further thought and stormed right into the meeting room. As expected, President Keller was there with his Presidential advisors and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Whatever they were discussing was suddenly tabled the first second that Josie barged into the meeting war. Seeing the less than thrilled on Keller's face told Josie what she already knew. She just didn't care.

"I'm sorry. Did I come at a bad time?" she sarcastically asked.

"In case you hadn't cared to notice, we're in the middle of a meeting here." Keller stated in an upset tone.

"Trust me, I noticed. But I'm not leaving anytime soon." Josie said.

Keller was a little more annoyed now before he said aloud to his staff, "Could you excuse us please? I need to speak to the Lieutenant in private."

There was a reluctant and very uncomfortable feeling among the people gathered in the rom but they all knew better that to question Keller. They all got up one by one or two at a time and made for the exit. Josie stepped aside to let them all pass, but she gave every one of them a menacing glare of contempt that could intimidate an MMA fighter. There really was no mistaking her complete lack of respect for politicians, Secret Service or otherwise and as soon as they were out of the room, it was just Josie and Keller.

"Ballsy. That was just plain ballsy, storming in here while I'm in the middle of a meeting. Do you have any idea the amount you could catch for that kind of stunt?" Keller furiously asked.

In a continued display of her insubordination, Josie replied, "This must be the off chance that you assume that I give a shit. You have to know why I'm here by now."

"I was discussing that very reason with my advisors when you marched in unannounced," Keller stated. "I'm just as much aware of what happened on the lunar surface as they are and until more information can be secured, we're keeping it under wraps from the public."

"A lot of good that's going to do. You and I both no that the Transformers are involved somehow, just like we both know that the truce between the Autobots and Decepticons wasn't going to last forever." Josie stated.

"Our General at the Pentagons had already spoke to Optimus Prime on the situation and he assured them that every effort is being made to uncover the reason behind the attack on the Moon."

"That's not good enough."

Keller rubbed his chin out of annoyance and asked Josie very plainly, "What action would you take?"

Josie approached the table and stamped her index finger onto the surface. "We should march a battalion into Autobot City and demand answers, and if we don't get answers then we retaliate with force."

"You're making it sound like we're going to war." Keller said.

"Maybe we should be. This isn't the Autobot's planet; it's our planet. We have a right to fight for it if we have to." Josie stated angrily, as if she was going out of her way to motivate the President.

So far, Keller wasn't budging. "I'm not going to instigate a conflict between Humanity and the Transformers, Autobot or Decepticon, without viable proof of a threat to our national security."

"Mr. President…" Josie said but was quickly cut off.

"Until we can ascertain the identity of whoever attacked the Lunar Outpost, no human military force will be mobilized against our allies. Am I clear on that, Lieutenant?"

Josie was beaten in the worst way possible and she knew, but she didn't relent when she stated, "We are clear, Mr. President. But I think you should keep in mind that while you deliberate that the blood of every single human from that outpost is just as much your hands as it is the Transformers."

"Get out of my house, Lieutenant. That's an order."

Josie could only snarl in utter rage and frustration before she stormed out of the war room, while Keller should his head in aggravation. Outside, Josie fumed but noticed the same secretary looking at her with fear in her eyes. She slunk under her desk in fright before Josie moved on. But there was something that Keller didn't know and as far as Josie was concerned, didn't need to know; she had other methods of opposing the Transformers.

* * *

Sentinel Prime awoke back in the _Harbinger's_ infirmary, restrained to the operating table with metallic apparatuses around his wrists and his torso. Tarantulas was at the nearby console when he heard Sentinel Prime's attempts to get free of the bonds holding him down. Rather than approach the table and deal with his patient/prisoner, he simply continued his work at the console. Sentinel paid the seemingly mad doctor no mind and focused his efforts on getting free. Without warning, Sentinel was jolted by the same force that best him earlier and that was enough to calm him.

"Were I you, I wouldn't move about too much." Tarantulas stated without looking back.

"Where's Thunderwing? Where is he?" Sentinel yelled in pain before the surge ended.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." Thunderwing announced his presence in a grand tone and sauntered to the table.

"You… you killed them all. Why?"

"Sentinel, you're making sound like I've done the universe a great disservice by… _removing_ some small humans." Thunderwing tried to play it off as nothing.

"You attacked and destroyed a defenseless outpost full of humans who had no chance of survival." Sentinel challenged Thunderwing.

"Hmm, a means to an end," Thunderwing reasoned even though he was clearly lying. "Those poor, defenseless humans had the rather unfortunate luck being collateral damage. But you should really try to understand the situation of my little plight, and accept that their deaths are on your hands."

"My hands? You're the one that slaughtered without remorse." Sentinel argued.

"And you're the one who could've prevented it," Thunderwing argued back. "All you had to do what tell me the location of the Star Saber. Had you done that one, simple task, I would've spared them."

"I've told you over and over again, I don't know where the Star Saber is hidden." Sentinel shouted and felt another agonizing surge through his body.

"Captain, you should be wary of the inhibitor's limited usage. You don't want to scramble his spark." Tarantulas implied.

"What inhibitor? What are you talking about?" Sentinel demanded.

"Oh, I didn't tell you? While you were unconscious, I implanted a neural inhibitor into you chassis that the good captain here can activate remotely. I won't bother to go into he details." Tarantulas explained.

"The doctor has his quirks," Thunderwing stated of Tarantulas' efforts. Then he grew serious and said to Sentinel, "Do not misunderstand my intentions, Sentinel. I take no pleasure in deaths of others. My one and only concern above is to add the Star Saber to my collection. That's it."

"You're not fooling anyone, Thunderwing. I know a power mad conqueror when I see one." Sentinel challenged Thunderwing.

"You still don't get it, do you? I'm not interested in galactic conquest or in using the Star Saber to kill. But you now understand that I _**will**_ kill _**anyone**_ who tries to keep me from getting want I want," Thunderwing threatened Sentinel right to his face with utter malice. "I don't care who they might be… even if they happen to be a Prime."

Without another word spoken between them, Thunderwing departed the infirmary. Privately, Sentinel determined what he already knew; Thunderwing was clearly obsessed with finding the Star Saber. Sentinel knew that Thunderwing needed to be stopped and so he attempted to undo his shackles as he had done before. But unlike last time, the table sent a jolt of electricity through his body. It was nearly as bad as it was back on the _Harbinger's_ bridge. It only just dawned on Sentinel that Tarantulas caused the jolt and, had in not been for the doctor's maw, Sentinel would've seen a sick smile.

Meanwhile, Thunderwing was in the corridor alone after his exchange with Sentinel Prime when he spotted Tigatron standing at the far end. "Something on your mind, Tigatron?"

"We've brought the ship into a geosynchronous orbit above the planet, and Dark Steel is awaiting your next orders." Tigatron reported, but the was slight hint of trepidation in his tone.

Thunderwing sensed it. "Is that all, Tigatron?"

"If I may speak freely, sir, I have something I'd like to discuss."

"I'm assuming that this is about the destruction of that outpost. Go ahead."

Tigatron wasn't sure were to start, but he had say something and he did. "I find it difficult to think that a peaceful solution was never considered. The humans merely wished to communicate with us and we responded with force. We kill countless numbers of them for no real reason."

"The humans would've most likely gotten in the way of our objective. A preemptive strike was the only course openly available to us." Thunderwing stated.

"With all due respect, sir, I have to call that notion into question. We could have negotiated a peaceful coexistence, maybe even convinced the humans to aid us in the search for the Star Saber."

"And once we'd found the Saber, the humans would likely have turned on us and taken the Saber for themselves or they could destroy it. See what you fail to realize, Tigatron is that every type of sentient species is capable of trickery and deceit. I won't stand for it." Thunderwing claimed.

"But Thunderwing, sir…" Tigatron replied only to be suddenly cut off.

"But nothing, Tigatron. There will be no further discussion of the matter. Now I suggest that you return to your post and await further orders." Sure that he'd gotten his point across, Thunderwing stormed away.

Left alone, Tigatron could only whisper to himself, "Yes captain."

* * *

Back on Earth and back in Autobot City for what felt like an eternity, Marissa was nonetheless severely shaken up by the attack on the Lunar Base – and the death of Lennox. She wasn't the only one; Carly was seating beside her friend and placing a blanket over her shoulders while Spike stood opposite with a hand on Marissa's shoulder. Marissa offered only faint glances to Carly and Spike while fighting back tears of grief. Carly responded by embracing her. It really was all that could be done to comfort Marissa; it just didn't seem to be enough.

Meanwhile, Breakaway was being examined by Triage with Daniel and Verity assisting. For once, there was no bickering between Verity and Triage. Breakaway was mostly stoic as he looked over at Marissa. Seeing her in the state of despair took him back to a place he didn't want to be. It flashed him back to the final moments of Tempest's death. Just like her death was in cold blood, so too was Lennox's and every other human on the Moon. Breakaway was intent on finding the ones responsible and making them pay.

"Ouch, cut it out, Triage. I'm fine." he protested to the Autobot physician.

"As you attending physician, I'll be the one to determine that assessment." Triage retorted while he held a welding tool-like device to Breakaway's head.

"Bring that thing any closer to my head and I'll shove up it straight up you tailpipe." Breakaway threatened.

"You're welcome to try, but until then, you'll hold still." Triage retorted again as if he was challenging Breakaway.

It was long though until Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus entered the infirmary. "How's he doing, doctor?" Magnus asked.

"Aside from his attitude, Breakaway is healthy and functional." Triage reported.

"Told you," Breakaway snapped and earned a slight shock for his trouble. "Ouch!"

"Triage is only looking out for your best interests, Breakaway." Optimus Prime stated.

"A lot of good that's done me so far." Breakaway snarled. But when he glanced over at Marissa and her broken state, he mentally retracted his statement.

Optimus Prime approached Breakaway and put a hand on the flyer's shoulder. "I know this it difficult, Breakaway, but we need you focus and tell us everything you know about the attack on the Lunar Base."

Breakaway braced himself for the big debrief, which he actively hated, and started talking. "I was out patrolling the parameter, even getting in some target practice when I thought I saw an object approaching that wasn't a meteor. I couldn't tell at first but as it got closer, I realized that it was a ship. A big one."

"What happened next?" Ultra Magnus asked just as Hotrod, Arcee and Crosshairs arrived into the infirmary.

"We attempted to establish communications with the ship," Marissa spoke out before gazing up and wiping the tears away. "In response, they bombarded the base, killed everyone. They killed…" then she halted on her words.

"Optimus, this sounds like it has the Decepticons written all over it." Hotrod said.

"I told you this truce thing wouldn't last." Crosshairs claimed.

"We can not be certain either way if the Decepticons were involved in any real capacity. That being said, the situation warrants further investigation into the loss of the Lunar Base and of our friend William Lennox."

"Breakaway's testimony isn't a lot to go on, Optimus. We don't even know what this ship looks like." Ultra Magnus pointed out.

"I do," Breakaway revealed. "I managed to record an image of the ship before I got Marissa out of the there."

"Can you give up a detailed description?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"I can do better than that."

Pushing Triage aside and getting off the bed, Breakaway pressed his index and middle fingers to his head and focused. His optics shined bright blue and then produced a hologram that took up the length and width of the infirmary for a split second before compressing into a smaller image. The image was shattered into little pieces from the beginning before they assembled into a single image of the ship in question. Optimus approached the image and studied it closely, noting every detail of it with the accuracy of a data clerk from Iacon. Ultra Magnus joined Optimus in studying the image, and his expression seemed to speak volumes while Optimus show no expression. But Magnus knew well enough what Optimus knew; they'd seen the ship before.

"Optimus, is that what I think it is?" he asked.

"The _Harbinger._ " Optimus seemed to confirm.

"You've seen this ship before?" Arcee asked.

"We first saw the _Harbinger_ during the Great War. It had the most cutting-edge technology at the time thanks in no small part to Shockwave. That included an advanced trans-warp hyper drive. With that tech, the Harbinger would've tipped the war in favor of the Decepticons." Ultra Magnus explained as the hologram vanished.

Arcee then asked, "What happened to it?"

"Something seemed to go wrong, and the _Harbinger_ just… disappeared into space. No one was aboard." Magnus said.

"It would seem however that the _Harbinger_ has returned from somewhere in the far reaches of space, but it is clearly a question of who or what it has brought back with it." Optimus Prime concluded.

"I don't care who or what is on that ship. Will is dead, and Optimus, if you don't do whatever needs to be done to make the culprit pay, I damn sure will." Marissa snapped and stormed out of the infirmary.

"Marissa, wait." Carly called out and followed her.

A few moments of uncomfortable silence filled the infirmary before Crosshairs quipped, "Well, that could've gone better."

Ignoring Crosshairs, Hotrod said to Optimus Prime, "On the off chance that the Decepticons are involved somehow, we still don't a lot to go on. The last known location of Galvatron vanished after he left Seattle. For all we know, he might not even be on Earth anymore."

"That opens up the possibility that Galvatron himself might be at the helm of the _Harbinger_." Arcee added.

Then, it was Spike who made a contribution to the discussion. "That's not entirely accurate. After we returned from the Seattle incident, Cerebros and I tracked Galvatron's flight pattern and we extrapolated the trajectory. His pattern was rough but we knew this much; Galvatron is still on Earth, hiding."

Another pause in the discussion came and went before Ultra Magnus said, "Then I guess we should go have a chat with Galvatron."

Optimus Prime nodded and turned down to Spike. "Spike, I'd like to study yours and Cerebros' findings."

* * *

Outside of DC and away from the prying eyes of the general public, an old school 1980's pickup truck rolled to a stop just beside an old private hanger. Josie Beller stepped out of the truck with a backpack slung over her shoulder and approached the building. A NO TRESSPASSING sign was hung onto a closer shutter large enough to allow a C-130 to enter. Josie tore the sign off before she worked the locked open. Once that was done, she opened the smaller door and entered the hanger.

The hanger was dark and dreary despite the glass ceiling high above showing some daylight from outside. It was still relatively cloudy outside and forecasts called for heavy rains. Josie was unconcerned and walked along the length of the massive hanger. Her footsteps echoed in the darkness, enough to give lesser intruders a jump scare out of their shoes. That was one option to ward them off. The other option was Josie could shoot them dead…and she would.

Despite the darkness, Josie the power lever easily and switched it to the ON position. A series of lights on the ceiling illuminated the hanger almost in sections one by light. A thud and hum accompanied every light as it turned on. The hanger was impossibly huge with too much space for one person but Josie didn't care one way or another as she marched forward to the far end of the hanger. A large computer rested at the far end with a console just below it. The console was brimming with lights and other glowing switches when Josie set her backpack down and sat in the chair.

She took to handling the console expertly before putting on a headset. At the same time, the screen came to life displaying white noise. The video cleared up partially, showing an image that was itself little more than static. Josie did nothing about the video feed but she did adjust the audio and the placement of the microphone on her headset.

"I know you can hear me." Josie said to the image.

" _ **You know I can see and hear you."**_ It was a voice disguiser, impossible to crack even for Josie Beller.

"You still have me at that disadvantage. Maybe now, you'll tell me why you're hiding identity." Josie challenge.

" _ **For the same reason you're hiding our little secret from the Autobots and the Decepticons. I assume that President Keller is also still in the dark regarding the project."**_

"The project's still under wraps for the time being. I still surprised that you're group came to me when you did, and with the remains of several of those Transformers from Seattle." Josie stated, trying to start a short conversation.

" _ **You wanted to know as much about the Transformers as we do, so it behooved us to secure the bodies and send them to you, along with the resources needed to take that technology further."**_

Josie didn't trust whoever was talking to her from the other end, and she tried to interrogate them further. "You know, you seem have unlimited info on me, my career and even my hatred of the Transformers. You even sent me all this tech to work with. But I don't know a thing about you. What do you have against the Transformers? What're you after. Who are you…really?"

The screen was eerily silent and Josie was edgy, even tapping her heel to the floor. _**"We all have our secrets, Lieutenant Beller. Trust me when I tell you that less you know, the better off you'll be."**_

"I don't trust people who the identities behind voice disguiser and white noise."

" _ **I take the precautions necessary to ensure our association remains secret. If the Autobots or the Decepticons or even Keller were to get wind of this, everything would be at stake. Our operations would be exposed. You would be expose. As I said, the less you know, the better off you'll be. I should be going but we'll talk again."**_

The video cut out before Josie could inquire further on the caller's identity. She didn't have the equipment to trace the call and even if she did, the call would've been blocked anyway. This naturally left Josie frustrated and she tore the headset away and threw it to the console. Josie sat at the console for a while and contemplated her next move before operating the console again. The screen shifted to an image displaying five blueprints distinctly different from each other. Then she hit a switch and a loud opening sound echoed from across the hanger before she left the console.

Josie walked to the source of the opening sound to the hidden portion of the hanger. It seemed somewhat cliché to have a hidden room since there was no one else in the hanger. Josie looked upon the five inert bodies in the room. All appeared similar to each other in terms of color scheme and advancements. Josie was amazed how quickly that five dead Transformers were redesigned almost from the ground up, and her benefactor provided highly start-of-the-art technology to improve upon them. All that was needed was to activate them, but Josie didn't have the means to do that and she couldn't without siphoning power from any neighboring town.

Still, a great deal of progress was made despite not have the means to power these things. Josie could wait a little longer but at the very least, these new machines needed a name. Josie had one; somewhat oddball and infantile but accurate given the technology and innovation behind them. Then once they operational, she'd cut them loose against the Transformers. She was patient; she could wait.

Josie smirked and mused, "Autobots, Decepticons… get ready to meet my Technobots."

* * *

Author's note: Yay, another chapter is in the books and IMO, Josie was the scene-stealer here. Josie is clearly making waves with her continued hatred of all the Transformers. She also seems to have a faceless benefactor with a creepy disguised voice.

Meanwhile, the Autobots are starting to suspect Decepticon involvement from the last chapter, meaning Galvatron is all but confirmed to appear. It should be interesting to see what Galvatron has been doing since ROTP.

Finally, we get a little teaser of the Technobots, whose origin here is different from the animated series. Hit me up with a review and I shall return soon.


	7. From Hell's Heart

Disclaimer: I thought wasn't going to be able to get to the next chapter in time. I've been fighting a slight fever lately but I'm good now. And, I'm counting down the days to Batman: Arkham Knight. MUST. HAVE. NOW!

Sorry. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter VII

Autobot City  
Earth

Marissa needed to get out of the infirmary and out of site of the Autobots, and it was obvious that it wasn't personal pride that made her leave. With tears still welling up in her eyes, she looked down at the box that held the engagement ring inside. It was the only thing left that Will left her before he died. The image of Will's death played back in Marissa's mind over and over again like an old 1960's broken record. It felt more like a nightmare. Marissa kept on mentally berating herself for her inaction on the Moon. She kept telling herself that she could've – should've – done more to save Will. But she failed, and all she had was the ring.

While she grieved, Carly approached quietly so as not to disturb her friend. Marissa knew and saw Carly coming from the corner of her eye, but she made no reactive move to greet her or shoo her away. Carly would've easily understood if Marissa wanted to be alone, but since Marissa made no indication, she continued to approach until she was at Marissa's side. Marissa glanced at Carly when she placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for lashing out like that, Carly. I shouldn't have…" Marissa tried to explain but the words didn't come out.

"I know, Marissa. You don't have to apologize. Believe me; you're not the only person who's affected by this loss. It really hits close to home." Carly consoled her friend.

Marissa closed her eyes and a tear slipped down before she showed Carly the ring. "Will was going to propose to me when we got back to Earth. I would've liked having you and Verity as my bridesmaids."

Carly smiled and asked, "You don't really see Verity as a bridesmaid, do you?"

Marissa managed a smile and retorted, "Don't know. Would you want to see me in a wedding dress?"

"No, definitely not." Carly said with a hint of laughter, and Marissa gave her own laugh.

"Thanks for being there for me, Carly." she said.

"We're family, Marissa. Maybe not by blood, or species in the Autobot's case, but we're family." Carly said.

"Yeah." Marissa replied solemnly.

"We're going to catch whoever did this, Marissa. I give my word, we will." Carly swore, and Marissa believed her.

* * *

In the war room of the city, Spike and Cerebros studied footage of the aftermath in Seattle. In it, Optimus Prime and a visibly wounded Galvatron shook hands before Galvatron departed to part unknown. Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots were present for the footage before Cerebros switched over to a radar screen. It was then that Highbrow worked to determine the general flight path Galvatron had taken when he escaped from Seattle. Optimus Prime studied the radar screen closely, followed the flight path from Seattle to further toward what had to be the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Then the path inexplicably stopped.

"That's it; the flight pattern stops just at the edge of the ocean. It's not must to go on, Optimus." Highbrow stated.

"Not necessarily. Cross referencing the trajectory with the coordinates of Galvatron's sudden disappears should pinpoint his location," Spike stated and he went straight to work. It didn't take long before the computer pinpointed the location. "Bingo!"

Optimus Prime stepped closer as did Jazz, who said out loud, "Well, stick a clock on my head and call me Vector Prime. That's where Galvatron's been hanging out."

"That is the location of the Decepticon's former escape ship turned undersea base, from our first arrival here on Earth long ago." Optimus resolved without hesitation.

"There's no way that base is still operational after so long." Bumblebee stated.

"Then again, it was really the only place he could go after his warship was destroyed back in Seattle. It makes sense that ol' Crown Head would go hiding under the sea." Jazz retorted.

"Agreed, and now we know where to find him. Cerebros, relay these coordinates to Brainstorm and have him prepare the Ground Bridge." Optimus Prime said.

"Understood, although I'm hoping we can avoid conflict." Cerebros chimed.

Optimus Prime ignored Cerebros' comment and was set to meet with Brainstorm when all of his surrounding suddenly fell away. Optimus found him suddenly standing alone in darkness, nothing but a reflective surface on which he stood. Movement drew Optimus Prime's attention and he spun around to see Alpha Trion walking behind him but not directly addressing him. Optimus made a move to reach for Alpha Trion when everything within his line of sight burst into a series of light and images.

He saw images that made his oil freeze; war, death, destruction and none of it from Cybertron. It was all on Earth, and the images of his closest allies, including Ultra Magnus, Elita One, Hotrod, Jazz and Bumblebee. Seeing images of his friends laid out dead around him drew Optimus' vision to a city, an Earth city on fire with the _Harbinger_ and other Decepticon warship in a blood red sky. Optimus Prime normally never showed fear, but the imagery filled him with pure horror. So too did the crimson eyes of a foe he'd seemingly never met. Or had he?

"What is happening?" Optimus asked.

" _The end, Optimus,"_ a voice declared, and Optimus turned to see Alpha Trion again. _"It is the end of all you hold dear."_

"How do I stop this from happening? You must tell me, Alpha Trion. Please."

" _Find the legacy of the Primes, Optimus. Find it."_ Alpha Trion said before he vanished.

Before Optimus could react, Jazz appeared in front of him. "You feeling okay, boss?"

Optimus straightened himself up and replied, "I'm alright, Jazz. I need to prepare for the mission."

Then Optimus Prime left while Bumblebee approached a bewildered Jazz and asked, "Is Optimus okay."

Jazz looked at Bumblebee and replied, "I got no idea."

* * *

Brainstorm was in the final process of activating the Ground Bridge when Optimus Prime arrived. "I've punched in the coordinates Cerebros relayed, but you'll be transported about a mile from the location. You'll have to drive the rest of the way."

"It will have to do Brainstorm. Prepare to open the Ground Bridge." Optimus Prime said.

"Optimus," Hotrod called out and entered the command center with Ultra Magnus, Elita One, Arcee, Jazz and Bumblebee. "You're not seriously considering going alone, are you?"

"It is the only way, Hotrod. Galvatron may consider it an act of hostility if every single Autobot appeared to confront. For that reason, it is best that I confront Galvatron alone." Optimus explained.

"On the other hand, Galvatron might be waiting for you to come to him. He may have been severely weakened with most of his Decepticons going into hiding elsewhere on the planet, but it doesn't make him any less a threat." Arcee added.

"Going alone practically guarantees that you don't come back alive. A small group of Autobots would have a better chance of surviving an ambush than a lone Autobot." Hotrod stated to Optimus.

"You know that I cannot risk the lives of my fellow Autobots. You least of all, Hotrod." Optimus argued.

"And I can't risk losing you again, Optimus. So I hope you'll forgive the insubordination when I tell that I'm going with you whether you like it not." Hotrod declared with authority eerily similar to his one-time persona as Rodimus Prime.

Optimus was surprised without showing it just as Arcee stepped forward. Jazz stepped forward afterward followed by Bumblebee. Ultra Magnus and Elita One were the only ones not to step forward, but Optimus Prime knew that his Second-In-Command and his spark mate were in agreement with the others. Brainstorm was still waiting for the order to open the Ground Bridge, while Optimus Prime was clearly out voted in what seemed like a very rare occasion. Optimus Prime finally conceded without resentment.

"Understood," he said. "Hotrod, Arcee, Bumblebee and Jazz will accompany me. Ultra Magnus and Elita One, I am leaving you two in command of the city until we return."

"The city will still be standing when you get back." Ultra Magnus swore.

"I'm coming too." a voice declared, and it was Marissa with Carly right behind her.

"No way, Marissa. It's too dangerous." Hotrod claimed.

"I survived an unprovoked assault on the Moon and watched friends die, including Will. I need to know what he died for." Marissa said.

The Autobots looked to Optimus for the final word, and Optimus said, "Marissa comes as well. Arcee, you're in charge of her safety. Brainstorm, open the Ground Bridge."

Brainstorm nodded in response and brought down the lever to activate the Ground Bridge. Within seconds, the machinery whirred to life and the bluish-green vortex of energy burst into existence. Brainstorm worked to stabilize the wormhole enough that where wouldn't be a vacuum accompanying it and the Bridge did as expected. Optimus Prime stepped forward to study the vortex that was swirling in front of him before he looked back at his team that was ready to follow him through. He then looked to Brainstorm.

"Ground Bridge is stable and holding, Optimus. Good hunting." Brainstorm said out loud.

With an approving nod, Optimus Prime declared, "Autobots; transform and roll out."

Optimus Prime was the first to transform to his vehicle form and drive into the vortex, vanishing in a flash of light. Hotrod transformed and followed through the vortex, then Jazz transformed and entered the hole. Bumblebee went next through the hole leaving only Arcee and Marissa behind to follow. Arcee assumed a new vehicle form as a motorcycle and allowed Marissa to board her, providing a helmet along the way. Then the duo raced through the vortex and disappeared before it closed.

* * *

On the _Harbinger_ , Dark Steel was in search of Thunderwing and even storming passed Apeface. She'd inadvertently knocked some tools out of the burly weapons specialist's arm and earned an angry growl. Dark Steel turned and shrieked back at Apeface, and that was enough to make Apeface back away. Then she continued to search the ship for the wayward captain. As she searched, Dark Steel heard peculiar sounds coming from the captain's quarters and she discerned easily that Thunderwing was there.

Dark Steel approached the captain's quarters half expecting to find Thunderwing working out a battle plan or a tactical advantage to exploit. What she did find surprised her. Thunderwing was sitting in a chair with his feet kicked up on a hard surface and watching sort of video feed. In the feed, a human man appeared to jabbing a large spear into a white moving object with liquid water splashing all around him. Dark Steel was able to catch the dialogue from the feed.

" _From Hell's heart, I stab at thee. For Hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."_

Dark Steel was unsure who was speaking with that much rage or to whom or what the rage was directed, but she entered the captain's quarters and stood at ease. Then she caught a full view of the feed and the next scene startled her. That same human man was somehow strapped to the side of some enormous white sea beast with one arm flailing back and forth. Other humans appeared and seemed to interpret it as a beckoning. Then the creature slammed into a ship leading the latter's destruction. It was then that Thunderwing caught sight of Dark Steel and he froze the feed.

"Dark Steel, I didn't hear you enter. I was studying one of Earth's earliest films. That Ahab was a very interesting man, going to unfathomable length to kill the monster that maimed him. Ultimately, his thirst for revenge consumed him. Still, interesting man."

"This Ahab human doesn't strike me as interesting, captain." Dark Steel admitted.

"I suppose it's an acquired interest. Now, what brings you here, Dark Steel?" Thunderwing asked.

"Wingspan and Pounce have detected a faint energy signature on the planet's surface. The energy output is similar to old Space Bridge technology, but more ground-based and localized." Dark Steel reported.

Thunderwing looked out of a viewport down at Earth without replying. Then he said, "Either the humans have developed the Space Bridge technology themselves, or there are other Cybertronians down on Earth. And that means someone down there knows where the Star Saber is hidden."

 _There he goes again_ , Dark Steel thought. She asked, "Sir, why is retrieving the Star Saber so important to you? You have so many other relics whilst still missing a handful of them. Forgive me for asking but, can't you just be satisfied with what you have?"

Thunderwing went dead silent and turned his head and shoulders slowly toward Dark Steel. His optics glowed a sickly, menacing green, as if he had taken the question from his First Officer as an insult. He stalked toward her with cold intent, while Dark Steel made not a single move to protect herself if thing became hostile. Thunderwing was soon looming over Dark Steel and illustrating the height difference between them. Dark Steel didn't flinch one bit, standing her ground. Thunderwing looked down on Dark Steel with his green optics glowing before they stopped just as quickly.

"Are you questioning me, Dark Steel?" he asked.

"No, sir. I am merely stating an unbiased opinion. My apologies." Dark Steel claimed, and Thunderwing seemed to buy it.

"Your opinion has been noted. Now return to the bridge and await my orders. That is all." Thunderwing declared.

Dark Steel didn't press the issue further and gave a crisp salute to Thunderwing before leaving his quarters. When she was out, she could here the sound of a new video feed playing from inside. Against her better judgment, Dark Steel peered into the quarter and glimpsed the new feed. In it, she noticed the bridge of a starship similar but different from the _Harbinger_. A tall humanoid stood at the helm wearing black armor and a cape and a helmet, accompanied by a deep breathing that sounded robotic. It occurred to Dark Steel that her captain had the most unusual of hobbies; unusual and potentially dangerous.

* * *

The Autobots drove along the barren landscape of Oregon toward their destination as directed by the coordinate given by Spike and Cerebros. With them was an uneasiness that felt all too familiar to the calm before the storm, when a battle was just over the horizon. Optimus Prime was determined to get answers, even though he intended from the outset to do it alone. In a rare moment, he was outvoted by Hotrod and the other Autobots Optimus was inwardly impressed by how much Hotrod had matured since relinquishing the Matrix of Leadership. But that was something for a later time; the Autobots had finally arrived at the coordinates.

Optimus Prime assumed his proto form and armed himself in the event of an ambush. Hotrod followed suit along with Jazz and Bumblebee. Arcee allowed Marissa to disembark before transforming and arming herself. Marissa had a sidearm holstered and pulled it out, not taking any chances with the Decepticons if they were setting a trap. Out in front of them was the wide-open blue Pacific Ocean, calm and quiet and teeming with sea life; that and the wreck of a Decepticon escape ship. The Autobots stayed ready for anything.

"Where are they?" Arcee asked out loud.

"Probably hiding in the rocks somewhere. But my spark is tingling; they're out here somewhere." Bumblebee replied.

"Then they're cowards, hiding themselves as they always do." Marissa snarled and cocked his sidearm.

"Easy, Marissa." Arcee said to calm Marissa down.

"What happened here; how the 'cons ship go down?" Hotrod asked Jazz.

"It was within the first stellar cycle that we we're here. The 'cons rounded up as much of the Earth natural resources as they could to put their together. We were too late to stop it from taking off." Jazz explained.

"So how was it brought down?" Hotrod asked.

"My old buddy Mirage snuck onboard, right in the middle of a play for power between Starscream and Megatron. 'scream never could learn from his mistakes."

"Autobots, hold position." Optimus ordered, and the Autobots followed the order.

The only sound that came was the sound of the ocean's surf crashing into the rocks below. Optimus Prime stepped forward by himself, his laser weapon pointed up and ready to be fired if it came down to it. He even held it up with his free hand for additional leverage. He extended his protective faceplate and looked over the side of the hill. The incline was steep and the fall would've ensured that Optimus didn't survive, or if he did then he been severely injured. He was also reminded of his final battle with Megatron, as the long lost Decepticon leader was hurled over the edge to his eventual defeat.

Optimus Prime's attention was brought to an area a good distance from the hill. He could barely see bubbles forming on the ocean surface. A moment later, a sound like an oncoming train echoed across the landscape. A spire arose from the ocean, long and slender and circular with a dark violet color scheme that screamed Decepticon. It was enough to remind the Autobots that they were definitely in the right place.

The Autobots didn't say a word, although Hotrod and Arcee were in awe. Marissa involuntarily blurted, "You've got to be bloody kidding me."

As the spire was at its maximum height, a large hatched opened on the side facing the landscape. Then an airborne object bolted from inside the spire, breaking the sound barrier as it went. The Autobots instinctively pointed their weapon up at the object that had all the signs of a reverse-fixed wing fighter jet. That only was enough to tell the Autobots who was coming. The fight jet flew circles in the sky around above the Autobots as if to tell them that other Decepticons surrounded them, but no others emerged. The jet then dipped down and transformed in midflight before fully assuming a bipedal form but also was in a kneeling position. The position didn't last and the Decepticon Cyclonus drew his ranged weapon and aimed at the Autobots.

"You Autobots have no right to be here. Leave now." Cyclonus demanded in the same cold, emotionless tone as ever.

"We missed you too, Cyclonus!" Hotrod quipped.

"Hotrod," Optimus whispered, quieting Hotrod down. The holstering his weapon but keeping his arms up, Optimus spoke out, "We are not here to incite conflict, Cyclonus. We merely seek an audience with Galvatron to discuss an incident that occurred prior."

"Galvatron has no desire to discuss anything with you, Optimus Prime. Now I will only say once more; leave now." Cyclonus demanded.

It was a stalemate; Optimus didn't want to risk angering Cyclonus and Cyclonus couldn't risk angering the Autobots. "Cyclonus, it is of the utmost importance that we speak to Galvatron. You and I are both aware that the truce between the Autobots and the Decepticons is conditional upon the ceasefire to which was agreed."

"I am aware, Optimus Prime. But do not dare think I'm not tempted to fire upon you if you don't leave," Cyclonus claimed, and it was clearly not bluffing when he armed his weapon. Then he halted and pressed his fingers to his head. "Yes, Galvatron," he said and a pause followed. "But…. I understand. I will bring him to you."

As Cyclonus holstered his weapons, Bumblebee asked Jazz, "What's that all about?"

"Beats me." Jazz replied.

Cyclonus approach and came face to face with Optimus Prime. "Optimus Prime, Galvatron has decided to speak with you, but only the condition that you accompany me into his domain alone."

"Scrap that, Cyclonus." Arcee shouted.

"If other Autobots accompany Optimus into the domain of Galvatron, it will be considered an act of aggression and it will be met with force."

Optimus Prime considered his options and he knew two things; Cyclonus wasn't bluffing and Galvatron was no liar. "Very well, Cyclonus."

"What?" Hotrod snapped.

"Optimus, you can't do this. It's suicide." Bumblebee said.

"You know it's got to be a trap, boss." Jazz added.

"This is exactly what Galvatron wants; to lure you into a no-win situation where he can kill you." Arcee added.

"Autobots," Optimus said, silencing his allies. "This is a situation in which I have no choice. If Galvatron truly wishes to speak to me alone and in his domain, then I must honor it. I need all of you to remain here and await my return."

"And if you don't come back?" Arcee asked plain.

Optimus gave his fellow Autobots a thoughtful look before he said, "If I do not return, then you will return to Autobot City as soon as possible. That is an order."

Reluctantly, Hotrod said, "We understand, Optimus."

With a nod, Optimus Prime turned over to Cyclonus, who directed him to an outcropping nearby to the Autobot's position. Unexpectedly, the stone side of the outcropping disappeared revealing an entrance. The Autobots were frustrating that they never picked up on the presence of a backdoor into the sunken Decepticon escape ship. But at the same time, no other Decepticons emerged from within. It was likely meant for the ground Decepticons sub groups like the Constructicons or the Combaticons. Still, it was frustrating to miss it.

Cyclonus led Optimus Prime to the backdoor in which the saboteur disappeared into the pitch-black entrance. Optimus was close behind Cyclonus when he halted for a moment and looked back at his Autobots, all of them with worried looks on their faces. Marissa was the only one to display an emotion other than worry; which in her case was anger toward the Decepticon. Optimus gave her a glance that told her not to follow under any circumstances, and Marissa complied unwillingly. Then Optimus Prime ventured into the entrance and the holographic wall reappear.

* * *

After some time of traveling down a dark corridor that was littered with damage and leaks of equal measure, Optimus Prime finally found himself in the wide-open main area of the sunken vessel. Cyclonus continued to lead the Autobot leader along, while Optimus was skeptical of the saboteur's motives. Thus far, Cyclonus made no move to signal for any ambush, and Optimus so no sign of any other Decepticons. It occurred to him that in the wake of the battle of Seattle and the truce that followed, the Decepticons had mostly likely scattered. Galvatron himself was obvious in hiding somewhere inside the sunken vessel in which Optimus and Cyclonus now traveled.

Optimus studied his surroundings closely, assessed every inch of the place and noted every possible weakness he could exploit in case things went south. So far, everything went better than expected. Optimus still kept a keen optic on Cyclonus, but Cyclonus gave no indication of treachery. Had it been Starscream, Optimus would've been captured or killed. Eventually, they came to a stop in a makeshift throne room of sorts with bits of debris strum all around, as if no one even bother to put forth the effort to fix the place. Cyclonus pointed down to the floor, indicating that Optimus should do nothing but stand there. Something gleaming in the darkness caught Optimus Prime's attention. To his surprise, he found Galvatron's particle cannon amid the junk, rusted and missing it golden hue but somehow still gleaming.

Cyclonus approached the shadowy figure in the pitch-black area and knelt down. "I've brought Optimus Prime to you as instructed, Galvatron."

Cyclonus was greeted with a wave of a hand before the familiar booming, angry voice of Galvatron finally spoke, "Optimus Prime…"

Optimus could just make out the faint glow of crimson red optic looking back at him. "Galvatron. To be truthful, I expected that you might be dead."

Galvatron leaned forward from the shadows and displayed the mangled right half of his face for Optimus Prime to see. "I'm only half-dead."

* * *

Author's note: That's yet another chapter done, and I feel like on fire. No literally; I feel like I'm on fire. Anyways, this latest entry is done, with our first glimpse of with the return of Cyclonus and a brief glimpse of Galvatron, who's not quite in the best shape since the ROTP.

Put in a nice interaction scene with Carly and Marissa, showing their bond. Meanwhile, Optimus experienced another brief vision with Alpha Trion, with a small bit of inspiration from _Avengers: Age of Ultron_ mixed with a dash of _X-Men: Days of Future Past._

I decided to also add a somewhat humorous scene of Thunderwing actually watching Moby Dick, particularly the Death of Ahab scene and his iconic line because…. Why not?

Anyway, give a shout and send a few reviews and I shall return, as will…. _(blown to bits by an unseen force.)_ I'm okay.


	8. Hard Times

Disclaimer: This chapter took some time since I've been distracted lately by the unexpected deaths of Christopher Lee and Dusty Rhodes. Plus, I've been mingling with the idea of doing my first crossover story ever. So many distractions, so little time.

Anyway, I bring out the next entry and of course, I don't own Transformers. For Count Dooku and The American Dream. Thanks for the memories, gentlemen and godspeed.

* * *

Chapter VIII

Optimus Prime took in the full scope of the damage done to Galvatron during the Seattle battle; the right half of his face was mangled enough to be barely recognizable. The rest of Galvatron's body wasn't any better. He had patches of a rust and disrepair all around his limbs and his torso, as if he'd bee swimming in Cosmic Rust or had a swarm of Scraplets chewing on him. Yet that Galvatron sat still as if he was still leading an army, even though his army was now scattered across the world. Optimus inwardly admired Cyclonus for staying with Galvatron through it all.

"After all this time, now you come visit me, Optimus. Why? Did you come to mock, to laugh at what's left of the leader of the Decepticons? Are you here to make me an offer to stand side by side with you as one of the Autobots? Or maybe, just maybe, you've come to finally put me out of my misery." Galvatron snarled and spat at Optimus Prime with unfiltered resentment.

"I am not come here to incite a conflict with you, Galvatron. I have maintained the truce between the Autobots and Decepticons for as long as time continues to allow." Optimus Prime spoke with calm eloquence, to which Galvatron simply huffed.

"Nothing lasts forever, Optimus. Just because you miraculously returned from the dead doesn't mean you can't die a second time." Galvatron spat.

"I am not the only who returned from the dead, am I?" Optimus Prime retorted.

Galvatron huffed again before he said, "Just get on with it and tell why you're here."

Optimus took a few steps forward, stopping when Cyclonus made a move only to be halted by Galvatron. "An unidentified vessel appeared within orbit of Earth's lunar satellite and attack an human/Autobot outpost, killing all hands stationed there including Major William Lennox. Only Breakaway and Director Marissa Fairborne survived."

"Well, that's fascinating, but the humans have always been living on borrowed time anyway. So why should I care if a few of them go extinct?" Galvatron asked without masking his pure distain.

"Because the vessel behind the attack is of Decepticon origin." Optimus Prime revealed.

A hushed silence filled the room before Cyclonus shouted, "You're lying!"

Unfazed by Cyclonus' accusation, Optimus stated, "You know me far better than anyone in the galaxy, Galvatron. I could not lie even if it was of my own free will."

Galvatron considered his options; he could've done as Cyclonus did and accuse Optimus Prime of lying. He could've ordered Cyclonus to blast Optimus into fragment, but that would break the truce and Cyclonus would've been the worse for it. He could've also made a mad dash for Optimus, tackled him to the floor and beat the life out of him, at which Optimus would have the advantage regardless and Galvatron would be the worse for it. With all of those option available to him and none of them promising, Galvatron resolved to listen.

"Go on."

"The vessel believed to be responsible for the assault on the lunar outpost has the marking of a Decepticon warship that vanish from Cybertron millennia ago. You, or more accurately, your former self, would recognize it as the _Harbinger_." Optimus Prime explained, and he displayed a hologram of the ship in question.

Galvatron stepped from his throne and approached the hologram to study closely, and even though he recognized the design, he wasn't entirely convinced. "If this is some kind of extremely tasteless joke, then you're no better than Starscream when I exterminated him for usurping me."

"I assure you that this is not a joke." Optimus Prime stated bluntly.

Galvatron smirked all the same and said to Optimus Prime, "Let us say that I believe you, Optimus; the _Harbinger_ vanished off the face of Cybertron millennia ago. But you have no idea where it had been since then; only that it lacked a crew at the time of its disappearance."

"Yet it has reappeared and seems to now possess a crew that murdered a number of human allies." Optimus Prime pointed out.

"And you've come here thinking the Decepticons are involved because the Harbinger is a Decepticon ship. What you've really done is insult me. You didn't stop to think that it could be some disgusting organics at the helm or a rogue faction of Transformers. You had to lay your accusations on me."

"I will make no apologies for doing what I believe is necessary to attain justice for those whose lives were taken from them. While I may not possess the proof, I will not disregard every possible scenario of any involvement from the Decepticons… if any." Optimus Prime declared, and he was in Galvatron's face to emphasize his intent.

Galvatron was in Optimus Prime's face, not backing down despite his own physical injuries. "Then the most you'll be doing is wasting your time… and mine. I have nothing to hide from you, Optimus, and even if I did, I wouldn't hide it. Besides; who'd know me better than you?"

Optimus Prime looked Galvatron dead in his blood red optics and knew, despite the hatred, than Galvatron was telling the truth. Seeing as the investigation had gone nowhere and that he'd overstayed his welcome, Optimus Prime started to take a few steps back. It wasn't out of cowardice but caution. Optimus looked over at Cyclonus, who was leering right back at him with resentment and a possible urge to blast him away. Galvatron would've stopped Cyclonus in keeping with the terms of the truce, but Optimus still didn't fully trust Cyclonus or Galvatron.

He turned his back to them, expecting one of them to attack at that moment. They did nothing, but Galvatron snarled with every once of rage in his spark. Optimus Prime then started to walk away with a cautious stride. Galvatron did nothing but stand by and watch Optimus Prime walk away from him with a perceived sense of entitlement or arrogance. Cyclonus took a step forward before Galvatron stopped him in his tracks without even looking at him. Galvatron continued to watch Optimus Prime walk away, still displaying utter distain for his foe as he eventually disappeared from sight.

* * *

Marissa paced around aimlessly and frustrated with the lack of any progress or any word at all from Optimus Prime. Arms crossed on her chest, she repeated alternated looks between the ground and the holographic outcropping that was the backdoor to the Decepticon's underwater base. The other Autobots waited around the site trying to busy themselves until their leader returned… if he returned. Jazz and Arcee scouted the ocean for anything out of the ordinary while Hotrod and Bumblebee secured the parameter for any signs of the Decepticons.

Marissa's impatience was simmering inside of her and getting the better of worse. She was within reach of absolutely snapping right at that moment. Then the hologram began to fade away. The Autobots reacted, training every weapon they had on the pitch-black entrance. Marissa drew her firearm and was also trained on the entrance. They heard metallic footsteps approaching and were ready to fire if things got bad, but they were instead relieved to find Optimus Prime emerging without a scratch on him. The other Autobots lowered their guns while the hologram reformed.

"You had us worried there for a nanosec, boss." Jazz said.

Optimus responded with a hand on Jazz's shoulder when Marissa asked, "What happened, Optimus? What did Galvatron tell you?"

"Despite evidence to the contrary, there is nothing to indicate that Galvatron or any of his Decepticons were involved in the Lunar Outpost attack." Optimus Prime stated.

"And you believed him," Marissa asked almost with an insubordinate tone. "This is Galvatron we're talking about, and you're going to just take his word."

"Galvatron is many things, Marissa, but a liar is not one of them." Optimus Prime claimed.

"How can you possibly be sure of that, Optimus?" Marissa impatiently asked.

"Because he knows him," Hotrod replied while looking directly at Optimus Prime. "We both know him."

"I guess we're back to square one." Bumblebee said to Arcee.

"Yeah. What's our next step, Optimus?" Arcee asked.

"As we are currently lacking in option, we will have discuss our next course of action when he return to Autobot City," Optimus Prime declared and then pressed his fingers to his head. "Brainstorm, open the Ground Bridge. We are coming home."

* * *

Galvatron and Cyclonus watched on a monitor as the Autobots vanished into a swirling green vortex. "The audacity of Autobots to come here. We should've blasted Optimus Prime when we had the chance." Cyclonus said.

"Believe me, Cyclonus; I wanted to do more than blast Optimus. But I am bound to the terms of the truce between the Decepticons and the Autobots." Galvatron stated with a seething anger that remained since Seattle.

Galvatron walked around in a slow circle as if he had gone into deep thought. As he walked, he studied the still active holographic image of the ship in question. The _Harbinger_ , a ship that no Cybertronian had seen for millennia, was at the center of some misunderstanding that had now put the Autobots and Decepticons at odds. Galvatron didn't like it. He didn't like being accused of something that was out of his control, preferring to be at the heart of the conflict so the Autobots knew it was him. This incident had nothing to do with him and he wanted to know why.

"What is you plan, Galvatron?" Cyclonus asked.

Galvatron narrowed his optics and replied, "I'm going up there. Someone is helming the _Harbinger_ and I want to know who so I can exterminate them." Then Galvatron walked to the pile of wreckage and claimed his particle cannon.

"This could be a set up by the Autobots to expose any future plans we may have. We should rally the Combaticons for fire support and the Constructicons for technical. If the Autobots try something, we'll be ready for them." Cyclonus stated as Galvatron attached his cannon.

"And then what, Cyclonus? We break the truce? We resume the fighting and senseless slaughter of our species? I've made it very clear to Optimus Prime that I'm sick and tired of the fighting and I don't intend to go back on my word. So I'd prefer to leave the Combaticons, the Constructicons and any remaining Decepticons on Earth, Cybertron or anywhere else in the galaxy, out of it."

Cyclonus was brutally talked down and he knew it well. Then he said, "I understand, and I will accompany you to the _Harbinger_ regardless."

"No you won't." Galvatron suddenly said.

"What?"

"I'm going to investigate the Harbinger, and I'm going to do it alone," Galvatron snapped. "I don't want and sure as the flaming Pit don't need anyone else up there with me. You will remain on Earth and you continue to monitor the Autobots and their actions. Am I clear?"

Cyclonus reluctantly replied, "Yes, Galvatron. We are clear."

Having gotten his point across, Galvatron stormed away in the opposite direction that Optimus Prime had taken to leave. He entered a room that actually part of the spire that rose from the sunken ship. He took one more look at Cyclonus, not out of sympathy but to make doubly sure Cyclonus knew what was expected of him. Then the hatch closed between them. A faint but audible rumble sounded off from the ship as the spire began its ascent toward the ocean surface.

Outside, the spire rose out from the Pacific Ocean like a missile silo with ocean water cascading from the side. It rose until it came to a stop and the hatch opened. Galvatron stepped forward and shielded his optics from the light of the Sun. He scanned the surrounding area and found no trace at all of the Autobots, indicating that they were long gone. Giving the Autobots no further thought, Galvatron launched himself from the spire and transformed into his spacecraft form.

From there, he gunned his engine and took off. There was a sputter of fumes from his engine, a further example of the damage he'd endured in Seattle. With no Constructicons to patch him up, Galvatron found it difficult to stay airborne from the beginning. But once he was able to right himself, he was on his way to the stratosphere… and to the _Harbinger_.

* * *

Outside of Washington DC, Josie Beller busied herself with the continued work on the lifeless robots of her and her faceless benefactor's innovations. With the latest state-of-the-art technology available to her, Josie was only getting closer to realizing the eventual rise of the robot force she'd dubbed _Technobots_. Each was similar to the other in terms of design and color scheme but different in function. She hadn't given them names yet, but as far as Josie was concerned, names weren't important. As long as they did their job, which was taking out the Transformers, Josie didn't care about names.

Still, the Technobots deserved a small measure of ceremony. Josie named each one after the other; the first two from the left to the center were called Nosecone and Strafe. The next pair was named from the right to the center; Afterburner and Lightspeed. The final Technobot that stood dead center between the others was named Scattershot. The names were a waste of time, but at least they had names. Now they needed life.

Josie had the five robots hooked to a giant capacitor in her attempt to activate them, provided by her faceless allies. The power level shouldn't have been too massive, but Josie was a firm believer that too much was never enough. With the Technobots hooked into the capacitor, Josie worked on the console and activated the capacitor, which gave off a low hum. The light flickered briefly from the activation. Josie moved to the dial on the far end of the console that was closer to the capacitor and started to turn it slowly and carefully.

Ten percent. There was no change or reaction from the Technobots, which wasn't all that surprising to Josie. She turned the dial to twenty percent. Aside the flickering of the lights if the hanger, there was no change in the Technobots. Josie brought the power to thirty percent and she though she noticed a slight twitch from the Technobot called Nosecone. Josie checked the screen and digital images of the five robots, each showing to be at a mere five percent of operational status. That wasn't good enough for Josie.

She turned the power to fifty percent, and the lights began to fluctuate on and off. The capacitor's humming intensified, but the Technobots were still inert and Josie was getting frustrated. The power held steady at sixty percent while Josie checked the screen. The digital images were all at twenty five percent each, but it still was enough. Josie tried to seventy percent. Then the console shorted out, sending sparks flying and Josie ducking out of the way. The capacitor shut itself down from the strain of having too much power cycling through it and half of the lights in the hanger blew. Josie shielded herself behind a table she'd overturned as the hanger seemed to have a life of its own. Sparks flew everywhere as all the machinery shorted and went silent within seconds. Then when the silence came around, Josie slowly emerged from her hiding spot.

The hanger was partly dimmed from the strain, but Josie was more concerned about the Technobots. She emerged from hiding and approached the console to reboot, expecting to see some measure of progress made. The images reappeared showing they were now at fifty six percent. Josie cursed under her breath at what she perceived as a partial success but was ultimately a failure. Josie rubbed her face as she thought of her next options, which were few and far between. She knew that she needed more power for the capacitor but she wasn't going to resort to stealing it… not directly anyway.

She operated the console again until the screen was garbled with static, and it wasn't long until her benefactor appeared behind the white noise. _**"Lieutenant, how goes the efforts of activating your Technobots?"**_

Josie waved her arm around and replied, "Look around. Progress is slow-going almost at a snail's pace."

" _ **So you haven't gotten the Technobots online yet?"**_

"Do you see them walking around? That capacitor your organization provided for me barely managed half of what was needed. I need more power." Josie demanded.

" _ **So go and find it."**_

"That's you answer?" Josie snapped.

" _ **I can't hold your hand while you beg for assistance. You're a smart woman, Josie. Figure it out."**_ Then the feed ended as quickly as it started.

"Asshole!" Josie cursed and looked the still inert Technobots.

She needed to consider more options to get the Technobots online, and she didn't like the options open to her. More power was needed to get them moving, Josie knew that much. But she was going to be damned if she resorted to desperate measures like syphoning power from a nearby city. Washington DC was the nearest, but that was too much of a risk. Josie wasn't going to hit a power plant; that would've made her no better than the Decepticons. And, she damn sure wasn't going to turn to the Autobots for help, not without contradicting her stance on them. As ever, her options were limited and she hated when she didn't have options. As she gazed at the lifeless Technobots, all it really did was remind Josie of her contempt for all Transformers, and she needed to put them in their place…. one way or another.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, this isn't my best chapter. As I said, I've been pretty distracted lately so I wasn't able to put forth my best effort.

Either way, we've seen the first interaction between Optimus Prime and Galvatron since ROTP. Galvatron obviously hasn't been in the best of moods, and now he wants answers of his own.

Then Josie makes her first attempt at bringing the Technobots to life with no luck. She needs more power… wink, wink.

But that for next time, so leave a review while I get back in the game. Peace out! In the words of The American Dream: "Grab a dream, hold on to and shoot for the sky."

IN MEMORY OF  
SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE  
1922-2015  
AND  
"THE AMERICAN DREAM"  
DUSTY RHODES  
1945-2015


	9. Moon Rock Bottom

Disclaimer: I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this new chapter up, but I've been very heavily distracted from playing Batman: Arkham Knight.

But fear not, for I have returned with the latest entry, so I hope you like it. I still don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter IX

Cerebros and Highbrow monitored an anomaly on Talatraan II when Ultra Magnus and Elita One approached them. "What's the story, guys?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"We've detected an energon signature leaving Earth's atmosphere from the coordinate Brainstorm gave to Optimus earlier and it was moving fast." Cerebros replied.

"How fast?" Elita One asked.

"Recklessly fast." Highbrow quipped.

Elita and Magnus exchanged glances and Magnus said, "Galvatron."

"Where're Optimus Prime and the others that went with him?" Elita One asked.

"Brainstorm confirmed they just returned from the site." Highbrow said.

Crosshairs was leaning against the wall opposite from the group along with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, tuning his pistol as if eager to shoot something. "I say good riddance. Maybe Galvatron decided he wanted to go somewhere else to off himself."

"Doubtful, Crosshairs. The trajectory readings seem to indicate that Galvatron was heading to the Moon, which as we know was the last confirmed location of the ship that attacked the outpost." Highbrow explained.

Crosshairs was off the wall and shouted, "In that case, maybe we should get off our tailpipes and do something."

"I'm with Crosshairs on this," Sunstreaker added. "For all we know up to now, Galvatron planned out the whole thing just to keep us guessing."

"We don't know that to be true, Sunstreaker. We need better evidence before we should even consider an all out attack on the Decepticons." Ultra Magnus stated.

"Yeah, but even with said evidence, this might still be want Galvatron wants; for us to attack the 'cons and restart the war." Sideswipe pointed out.

"Then maybe we should give them what they want." Sunstreaker said.

"We're not giving the Decepticons anything, Sunstreaker." Elita One said.

"You just suck the joy out of everything." Sunstreaker mumbled.

Then Optimus Prime arrived in the area and declared, "There will be no conflict between us and Galvatron, Sunstreaker. He clearly had nothing to do with the lunar assault, even condemning it himself."

"All do respect, Optimus, how do you know that?" Crosshairs asked.

Optimus Prime looked at Crosshairs and replied, "Because I _know_ him, Crosshairs. Galvatron would not instigate a situation unless he had the assured benefit that we would know about it."

"Well, it might interest you to know that we picked up an energon signature leaving the site the Decepticon's old underwater base. That would suggest Galvatron is going to investigate the lunar surface himself." Cerebros stated.

Ultra Magnus approached Optimus and stood beside him with his arms folded. "That might be something to consider, Optimus. Evidences or not, we may need to be ready in case the Decepticons are planning to restart the war."

"Perhaps, but Galvatron has no interest in restarting conflict between Autobots and Decepticons. I would stake my life on it." Optimus Prime said.

Ultra Magnus gave Optimus a troubling glance and said, "I really wish you didn't say that."

Optimus Prime only offered Ultra Magnus a telling glare before he replied, "So do I."

* * *

On the _Harbinger_ , Wingspan and Pounce collectively called out, "Dark Steel, we got something on sensors that you might want to see."

Dark Steel, who had the bridge in the absence of Thunderwing, approached the twins and asked, "What is it?"

Wingspan pointed a small signature on the radar. "We picked this energon signature up just now. It looks to be head for the lunar surface where that outpost once stood."

"Have you made any attempts to contact it?" Dark Steel asked.

"We've haven't received any replies to our hails. Whoever it is appears to be keeping quiet." Pounce stated.

It wasn't long after that Thunderwing approached the trio. "What's the situation, Dark Steel?"

"It looks like we've got an intruder approaching the Moon. They haven't responded to our hails as of yet." Dark Steel stated.

Thunderwing studied the radar for a few moments to get a handle on the situation before he said, "It could be a sentry come to investigate the destruction of the outpost."

"How should handle this?" Dark Steel asked.

Again, Thunderwing thought for a short moment before he stated, "Unleash the Terrorcons."

Dark Steel looked at Thunderwing with a hint of surprise. "The Terrorcons, captain? That seems a little excessive; for all we know, this intruder may be on the Moon only to investigate and nothing more than that."

"It wasn't a request, Dark Steel. It was an order. Send in the Terrorcons." Thunderwing repeated.

* * *

Galvatron approached the Moon with an erratic flight path and small plumes of smoke left behind in his wake. The plums didn't last long in space due the lack of oxygen, dissipating within seconds of coming out. Galvatron hardly cared as he was within reach of the lunar surface. Once he spotted the remains of the outpost that was destroyed, Galvatron started to make his final approach.

Reaching the surface, Galvatron transformed and landed rather gingerly on the surface, even nearly losing his balance on touchdown. He was more annoyed that disappointed but shrugged it off. His first order of business was to scan for any survivors; he surveyed the site of the attack but didn't expect to find anything living. There weren't even any fires burning, which was expected given the lack of oxygen. As he thought, there was nothing alive. Galvatron then started to make his way through the wreckage.

Most of the wreckage was of the structure. Giant pieces of jagged metal lay across the length of the destroyed outpost. Galvatron took his time with each step he took so as not to lose his footing. If he happened to step on a random human corpse, Galvatron wouldn't have noticed. If he did notice, he didn't care. He did notice several human bodies laid out across the length of the site, most without space protection. They likely wouldn't have survived within oxygen; another reason why Galvatron loathed humans so much. He continued through the ruins of the outpost with a heedless gait, with no concerns about possible stepping on the corpses of the dead.

Soon he was out of the ruins and moving further along a trail rife with more debris that led him further away from the ruins. Galvatron halted for a brief moment when he thought he heard something moving in the distance. He kept moving and just missed the shadow moving around behind some lunar outcropping. Continuing his investigation, Galvatron stopped at the sight of another dead human that seemed to have gotten away from the initial. Obviously, he didn't get far enough. Galvatron leaned down to get a better look at the human's face. Despite the cold, shriveled mess it had become, Galvatron recognized the human.

"Major Lennox. Of all the humans I've ever despised, you were the one I most respected." Galvatron silently declared, thankful that no one was around to hear it.

Or so Galvatron thought, because when he heard a noise nearby, he looked toward the source. His optics weren't playing games with him. Standing atop a rock formation was a bizarre looking robot that Galvatron had never seen before. It was hunched over, resembling a mole-like creature, and it cocked its head to one side as if it was curious of Galvatron. Galvatron took a stance and cocked his particle cannon. If this thing made a move, he was going to blast it to pieces. The creature made no move to threaten Galvatron, but it snarled at him like he was a meal to be devoured.

Galvatron slowly raised his cannon toward the creature and took a step back without taking his gaze away from it. The creature slowly dropped from the rock formation as if it was either mimicking his movements or more likely stalking him. Galvatron didn't like what was happening and he'd be scrapped and melted down long before gave this thing the time of cycle. Galvatron lowered his cannon and gave the creature no further thought before he turned around.

Then he was slammed in the face and thrown to the ground with a heavy crash. Galvatron was slow to recover and when he did, he was looking up at a two-headed dog beast loomed over him. Galvatron heard a loud slam from behind him and turned to see a bipedal shark creature standing there. Galvatron raised his cannon before he was suddenly swept off his feet by another creature. This one resembled an extinct Pteranodon, which Galvatron briefly could've mistaken for one of the Dinobots.

The flying beast released him, and Galvatron returned to the lunar surface and landed with a crash. The lack of gravity did nothing to soften the fall. Galvatron picked himself up and fumed with rage before he turned toward the now gathered creatures, including the mole monster that Galvatron first encountered. A fifth creature approached the group behind, resembling a two-headed dragon beast. One of the heads dropped to the lunar rock face and chewed out some of it in a gluttonous manner. Then to the shock of Galvatron, the beasts all transformed into a group of robots he'd never seen before, and they all had weapons of their own.

Wiping a trickle of oil from his mouth, Galvatron snarled, "Well, I don't have all cycle."

Stepping forward, Hun-Gr spread his arms to each side and started giving orders. "Blot and Sinnertwin, flank left. Cutthroat and Rippersnapper, flank to the right."

Separating into teams of two, the Terrorcons took Hun-Gr's order and flanked Galvatron on each side. Galvatron watched them as they took position around him. Blot and Sinnertwin stood at his left side while Cutthroat and Rippersnapper flanked him on his right. Hun-Gr stood front and center opposite from Galvatron. Galvatron deployed his sword, assessed his odds against the Terrorcons and determined which was the nearest to his position. Sinnertwin was the nearest Terrorcon, and he made a slight movement to give himself away. Then Galvatron struck.

The Decepticon leader started with a wide swipe of his sword that just missed Sinndertwin when he ducked below. Another swipe came that Sinnertwin managed to parry before Galvatron attempted an overhead slash. Sinnertwin jumped back and before Galvatron could advance, Blot made his attempt to attack. The mole-creature Terrorcon pushed forward with a melee weapon of his own; a mace. Galvatron quickly blocked an initial blow and pushed back, causing Blot to stumble. Then Galvatron pressed his advantage and charged Blot, knocking the Terrorcon to the ground.

Sinnertwin made his move with an attempt to ambush Galvatron from behind. He managed to grab hold of Galvatron, but Galvatron drove his elbows into his face. The barrage lasted long enough for Galvatron to fight back and knock Sinnertwin to the ground. Blot made another move to ambush Galvatron, but Galvatron anticipated this moment and took a quick slash at Blot. He missed the Terrorcon's head but was able to kick him backward.

Hun-Gr motioned to Rippersnapper and Cutthroat to take their turn, and Rippersnapper was the first to attack. Galvatron was back on defense as Rippersnapper took to using close-range, hand-to-hand blows. Galvatron blocked the blows with his sword while he waited for an opening to appear. There was a brief pause in Rippersnapper's attack, and Galvatron jammed the hilt of his sword into the Terrorcon's face. Before Galvatron could deliver a fatal blow, Cutthroat intervened by tackling Galvatron.

They fell to the ground, with Galvatron dropping his weapon but still staying in the fight. Cutthroat used similar hand-to-hand attacks to those of Rippersnapper, but with a more reckless and violent style. Galvatron was again on the defensive but was able to meet Cutthroat's assault blow for blow. A head-butt staggered Cutthroat long enough for Galvatron to start pummeling him almost into submission before Rippersnapper attacked again. Joining Cutthroat, they fought Galvatron two to one with close-range attack. Galvatron held his own and managed to throw Cutthroat into Rippersnapper. They fell to the ground with Cutthroat on top of Rippersnapper.

Galvatron retrieved his sword and looked at Hun-Gr, motioning him to approach. Hun-Gr obliged and charged forward. Hun-Gr deployed a blade and quickly attempted an overhead slash that Galvatron blocked and pushed back. Then Hun-Gr tried for a quick swipe that was also blocked, and then Galvatron retaliated with a strong inside swipe that Hun-Gr ducked under. Galvatron quickly went on the offensive with a series of slashes, thrusts and swipe, most of which Hun-Gr blocked or parried. Hun-Gr responded with his own barrage of slashes and swipes that Galvatron similar blocked or parried. Then they backed off only to cross blades again.

The other Terrorcons gathered around and formed a circle as Galvatron and Hun-Gr fought, trading a series of brutal strikes between them but not landing a blow. Hun-Gr started to press his assault and get Galvatron on defense for a short time with repeated overhead strikes. Galvatron blocked the strikes while he took steps backward when it became clear that Hun-Gr was trying to inch him closer to one of his allies. Galvatron pushed back against a stalemate between himself and Hun-Gr and sent the Terrorcon staggering, and then he pressed his advantage with a brutal assault. Hun-Gr was quickly outmatched and on defense as Galvatron unleashed a series of strikes. A final backhanded blow sent Hun-Gr to the ground where the rest of the Terrorcons gathered around him.

Galvatron stood tall with his sword outstretched near to the ground. "Is that it? Is that all you've got?"

Hun-Gr stood tall with his Terrorcons at each side, creaking his head to one side as if he was cracking bones. Then he shouted, "Terrorcons, UNITE!"

Galvatron wasn't expecting such a declaration, and he was less prepared to for what came next. The Terrorcons all transformed into their beast forms and started to come together. Galvatron recognized this; the Terrorcons were also combiners like the Constructicons or the Combaticons, but this was a much more fluidic combining method. Two of the Terrorcons, it was hard to tell, formed a sets of massive legs while a third, likely Hun-Gr, formed a torso. The final two Terrorcons formed arms and hands attaching to each side of the torso and then a head and face with a single red visor and antennae appeared. Galvatron was looking up at a gestalt he'd never encountered until now.

"I AM… ABOMINUS!" the gestalt bellowed directly to Galvatron.

Gripping the hilt of his sword, Galvatron nonetheless less started to back away step by step as the gestalt called Abominus stalked him. Abominus was huge even by gestalt standards. He obviously dwarfed Galvatron but he likely could've dwarfed any other combiner that existed. But Galvatron wasn't going to be intimidated. If this beast of unknown origin wanted to fight, then Galvatron was going to give it a fight and he charged forward.

Abominus started by taking a mighty swing of his huge arm at Galvatron, who ducked below it easily. Up close to the gestalt, Galvatron began slashing and striking at the legs to wound it. Abominus barely flinched, instead brandishing a duel-sided spear weapon and then bellowed loudly. Then he took a heavy downward swing at Galvatron, who managed to roll out of the way as the weapon hit the lunar surface. Abominus took another overhead swing and missed a second time when Galvatron rolled away again. It was clear to Galvatron that as big as Abominus was, he was slow and clumsy and there was an advantage there.

Abominus took a side swing that Galvatron ducked and rolled under. Galvatron was upright and sidestepped a blow that struck the ground beside him, then rolled back to avoid a downward thrust. Abominus brandished a mace on his right arm and tried to literally hammer Galvatron, but his lack of speed played into Galvatron's hands. As soon as the mace hit the ground and was briefly embedded there, Galvatron ran up the length of the gestalt's arm. Abominus dropped his spear and made a grab for Galvatron, but Galvatron was already airborne. Galvatron dropped and with his free hand, punch Abominus in the face and staggered him.

Galvatron backed far away as Abominus steadied himself and bellowed. Then Abominus charged forward, which was exactly what Galvatron wanted when he initially backed away from the gestalt. Bringing his particle cannon up and aiming it straight ahead, Galvatron waited for a clean shot. Abominus was fast approaching, bellowing loudly as he came. Then Galvatron opened fire. The familiar violet energy blast that felled many of Galvatron's enemy's, including Starscream, struck Abominus in the face. The gestalt lost his balance and tumbled forward while Galvatron sidestepped out of the way. Abominus flipped and crashed to the ground and skidded to a stop across the way.

With his sword still deployed, Galvatron approached the fallen gestalt until he stood over the shoulder and held the point of his sword to the head. "You should've known better than to challenge me."

Galvatron grasped the hilt with both hands and raised his sword up high with the intent of lopping off the head of Abominus. Then as Galvatron brought the sword straight down, Abominus caught the blade in his massive hand. Galvatron was surprised but determined not to show fear as he tried to remove his sword, while Abominus stood up and at his full height. Then Abominus snapped the blade in half, leaving Galvatron holding the hilt in complete astonishment. Abominus threw the broken blade away and stalked Galvatron, who started to fire on the gestalt with his cannon. The blasts slowed Abominus but he continued to stalk Galvatron until he took a swing at him. Galvatron dodged the incoming blow, rolled to the far side and fired on Abominus from the side. Abominus was staggered to the opposite side but he still continued to stalk Galvatron. Galvatron transformed into his stationary cannon mode and continued to blast at Abominus with higher charged volleys that did more damage but still didn't slow Abominus down.

Abominus closed the distance and attempted to smash Galvatron, but Galvatron transformed back into his proto form and avoided the blow. Galvatron transformed into his spacecraft and took off, blowing right by Abominus as he went. He quickly spun back around and fired at Abominus from above, peppering the gestalt with a series of shots. Suddenly at a tactical disadvantage, Abominus was forced to block the hailstorm of laser fire as Galvatron performed a series of passes. Galvatron was moving to quickly for Abominus to catch him.

Galvatron continued to press his aerial assault, all the while inching closer and closer toward Abominus. Abominus tried in vain to swipe at Galvatron anytime he got too close, but Galvatron was far too fast to be struck down. Galvatron avoided another in a series of missed swipes from Abominus before he climbed as high as he needed to climb. He then spun back around and dive-bombed straight toward Abominus.

 _I'm finishing this right now,_ Galvatron thought as he opened fire on Abominus.

But Galvatron's inherent arrogance proved to be his undoing. Abominus took a swing and Galvatron and Galvatron avoided it, only for Abominus to quickly swing back. He struck Galvatron's underside with force, sending Galvatron spiraling to the surface of the Moon. Galvatron quickly transformed as he hit the surface and rolled across it and crashing through a rock formation. Galvatron attempted to recover when Abominus was suddenly upon him, and Galvatron tried to fire his cannon. Abominus grabbed the cannon and ripped it off, and then he crushed it in his bare hand.

Despite being weaponless, Galvatron continued to fight the bigger and stronger gestalt and managed to leap high enough to punch Abominus in the face. Abominus responded by driving his clasped hand into Galvatron's back and putting Galvatron down. Then Abominus picked Galvatron up over his head and slammed him into the ground and then stomp on his chassis once, twice… three times. Each blow left a varying degree of damage on Galvatron before Abominus picked him up again. Abominus then tossed Galvatron into another rock formation, smashing the formation to pieces.

Galvatron rolled across the surface with more damage done to him than he ever though possible, but he still stood up to face Abominus as the gestalt approached. Despite the damage, Galvatron still refused to be beaten and charged Abominus, only to be kicked in the chassis and doubled over in pain. Galvatron wouldn't stay down and literally clawed his way to his feet by Abominus himself, who drove his giant fists into Galvatron's chassis and his back… and his face. The shot to his face sent Galvatron collapsing to the ground again, and he grabbed onto Abominus' feet. It wasn't an act of begging for mercy, but a sign that Galvatron simply refused to surrender. Abominus only snarled and picked up Galvatron with one hand. He started to squeeze Galvatron, the sound of metal being crushed under intense pressure proving unbearable. But Galvatron still wouldn't stop fighting, pounding on the metal hand that was slowing crushing him to death.

"Abominus, disengage." A cool, commanding voice called.

Just like that, Abominus halted his assault and dropped Galvatron to the ground Abominus then disengaged into the Terrorcons that comprised him. The Terrorcons formed a circle around the long beaten Galvatron, who still tried in vain to fight back. It was at that moment when he caught sight of a large newcomer with a silver, green and purple color scheme approaching. It occurred quickly to Galvatron that the Terrorcons answered to this newcomer that was coming closer to him until he stood over him. With one foot, the new arrival turned Galvatron onto his back and looked down on him with no contempt but curiosity. The newcomer crouched down to meet Galvatron's weary gaze.

"If you're going to kill me, then get it over with." Galvatron said with pure defiance. The newcomer said nothing, instead bringing his fist down and everything went dark.

* * *

Author's Note: Again, sorry the delay. Anyway, this chapter is finished and the primary meat in this one is the face-off between Galvatron and the Terrorcons, who merge into Abominus for the first time.

I took some inspiration for the fight from _Transformers: Age Of Extinction_ and _The Dark Knight Rises_. And yes, Galvatron took possibly the worst beating of his life.

So give me a shoutout and let me know what you think and I'll be back soon. Have a fireworks filled Happy 4th of July.


	10. Where The Spark Lies

Disclaimer: Me again, still going strong with another chapter to present amid steamy, sticky summer weather. I kind of prefer autumn.

Like always, I don't own the right to Transformers or the characters.

* * *

Chapter X

"Wake up, Galvatron. We have important things to discuss, you and I."

Galvatron felt something sharping jabbing into his side and sending a small but prominent charge through his chassis. He was blind; he optics didn't seem to be operating properly. His audio sensor weren't any batter but he at least could still hear minute humming around him. It was long that his optics started rebooting, starting with the almost obligatory static before clearly little by little. Galvatron began to see that he wasn't on the Moon anymore and his surroundings looked nothing like Earth or Cybertron for that matter. Then the face of the newcomer first encountered on the Moon came into view.

Galvatron reacted with fury and attempted to lunge forward, only to be held down by restraints. It occurred to Galvatron that he was shackled to the surface of an elevated operating table, but it didn't stop him from trying to break free. The silver, green and purple schemed newcomer simply stood there with a smirk as Galvatron struggled to get loose. But there clearly was no breaking loose; the restraints were far too tough to break, even for Galvatron.

"Easy there, Galvatron; you might break something else. You put up quite a fight when we brought on board." the newcomer implied.

"I'm on the _Harbinger_ , aren't I?" Galvatron asked.

"Good guess, and I'm its captain; name's Thunderwing."

Galvatron tried to lunge forward again but it was no use. "I don't give a scrap who you claim to be. The _Harbinger_ is a Decepticon warship, and you're going to tell me how you came to be in command of it."

"You make it seem like I owe you an explanation but honestly, I don't think I owe you anything," Thunderwing stated in a cool tone. "I am the _Harbinger's_ captain and on this ship, we entertain my preferences… as our dear friend learned. I think you know him."

Thunderwing backed away and allowed Galvatron to glance over a second table, and his optics blared bright crimson. Lying on the opposite table was Sentinel Prime, looking in far worse shape than Galvatron. Questioned swelled in Galvatron's thought processes, not the least of which was how in the bleeding galaxy of possibility was Sentinel Prime still alive. The last time Galvatron had seen Sentinel Prime, he was being pulled into a black hole mere moments before an explosion killed the Fallen. Sentinel was expected and believed to be dead. But there he was lying on a table, not dead but not in the best shape.

"I wouldn't bother trying to speak to him, Galvatron. Despite the best efforts of Tarantulas over here, " Thunderwing referred to Tarantulas, who was standing a short distance away. "Sentinel doesn't have a lot of time left."

Galvatron was very quick in determining the meaning of Thunderwing's words. "What've you done to him?"

It was Tarantulas who stepped forward with an electrified pincer device and he took to waving it in front of Galvatron's face. "Not nearly as much as what might happen to you if you don't cooperate." he said.

"I don't scare easily, so do your worst." Galvatron replied in defiance.

Thunderwing grasped Tarantulas' arm and said, "I think it's too soon to go that far, Tarantulas. See to Sentinel; I'll handle this one."

Tarantulas did as he was told, leaving Thunderwing alone with Galvatron. "I make it a point to never cooperate with pirates."

"Pirate? I am no such thing, Galvatron. I'm more of a collector, specifically a collector of ancient relics left behind by the Original Primes," Thunderwing leaned forward so he was optic to optic with Galvatron. "I happen to be searching for a particular relic that I am certain is down there on that little blue marble of a planet."

Galvatron glared incredulously at Thunderwing, and then he chuckled as if he'd heard a joke. "Let me guess; you hunting for the Matrix of Leadership. Trust me; you're not the first to try claiming it. I tried to use it to control Unicron and Sentinel over there wanted it to summon the Fallen. What use is it to you?"

"I'm not interested in the Matrix of Leadership. I'm looking for the Star Saber, the weapon used by Prima to first defeat Unicron," Thunderwing clarified. "And, you are going to help me find it."

Galvatron remained defiant against Thunderwing. "You're wasting you time, Thunderwing. Unlike the Matrix, the Star Saber doesn't exist. It's… not… real."

Then without warning, Thunderwing lunged forward and slammed his fist into the wall beside Galvatron's head and causing loud clang to echo through infirmary, likely even the entire ship. "IT IS REAL. I KNOW IT'S REAL, I SENSE IT TO BE REAL. DON'T TELL ME IT ISN'T REAL."

Galvatron didn't flinch, didn't show an ounce of fear. But he saw something in Thunderwing's optics that spoke manic volumes of obsession… and more. "You're not Cybertronian, are you? And I told you that I don't scare easily."

"You will," Thunderwing said and brought a small but decorative device into view. "This little trinket is from my relics vault and proof of the Star Saber's existence. It's called the Spark Extractor and if you'd prefer not to see how it works, you will cooperate in the search for the Star Saber."

Galvatron still didn't flinch, instead saying to Thunderwing, "Go scrap yourself, you pathetic spawn of Unicron."

Thunderwing huffed and then he slammed the Spark Extractor onto Galvatron's chassis, and then came an instantaneous and excruciating sensation. The Spark Extractor glimmered a brilliant hue of blue that belied the agonizing pain streaking into Galvatron. He felt as if he was being torn apart from the inside out. Every circuit in every corner of his body was on fire, but most of the pain was centered on his spark. It was as if his Spark was being pulled from within by the relic that he'd believed moments earlier was a fabrication. Obviously, Thunderwing had just proven Galvatron wrong.

"Painful, isn't it? The Spark Extractor does as its name implies by extracting the sparks of Transformers, while also doubling as a convenient little torture device during the process of removal. Personally, I'd prefer not to have to resort to such lengths but I can't speak for Tarantulas." Thunderwing stated as he glared at Tarantulas, who only snickered.

Galvatron was struggling to recover from the ordeal as he looked passed his captors toward Sentinel Prime, and it occurred that Sentinel had been put through the same torture. "If you really think that torturing me like you tortured Sentinel will change anything, then you're more deluded than I expected."

"Who said anything about torture? I have something more interesting in mind," Thunderwing then turned to Tarantulas and asked him, "How long will you need to construct a new chassis?"

"With the materials currently in my possession, it shouldn't take more than a few decca cycles." Tarantulas stated while he touch the tip of his pincer device.

"Are you sure?" Thunderwing whispered and glanced at Galvatron, and easily Tarantulas understood.

"In that case, I'll only need one solar cycle provided I can remove certain… things." Tarantulas tellingly implied.

Thunderwing covertly handed the Spark Extractor to Tarantulas and said, "Make it hurt." Then Thunderwing left the infirmary without glancing at Galvatron.

Tarantulas sauntered over to the imprisoned Galvatron with the Spark Extractor. "Well Galvatron, it looks like you and I are going to become good friends." he chuckled with twisted malice in his words.

Galvatron leaned out as far as his bounds would allow and he said, "When I get free, you'll be the first one to die."

Tarantulas glared at Galvatron with amusement and quite possibly, a small hint of dread that told him that Galvatron was deadly serious. Galvatron wasn't going to flinch even as he glanced at Sentinel Prime on the opposite table. Seeing the Prime lying there in such pitiable shape reminded Galvatron of why he'd come to despise the war that killed so many Transformers. But one look at Tarantulas and to a greater extend, Thunderwing, told Galvatron that they simply didn't care. Then he felt that torturing sensation of the Spark Extractor against his chassis.

"Painful, Galvatron," Tarantulas asked as he pushed the Spark Extractor onto Galvatron's chassis. "Trust me; we're just getting started." Then he forced the Extractor back onto the chassis.

And… Galvatron could be heard screaming not in pain, but with rage.

* * *

Cyclonus flew across the Earth sky faster than he had in what seemed like ages, following a straight path toward his intended destination: Autobot City. As straight and narrow as his flight was, there was also a hint of anger behind it. Cyclonus wasn't normally so emotional, always the stoic follower of the Decepticon cause. But this was a different; Cyclonus was angry, full of rage even, and within the walls of Autobot City, he was going to let it all out.

It was no surprise then that the Autobots detected his approach. "We've got incoming." Cerebros declared.

Daniel and Verity were present when Cerebros made the announcement. "What's going on, Cerebros?" Daniel asked.

"Parameter sensors just picked up an energon signature approaching from the south western quadrant. It's not one of ours." Cerebros stated.

"A Decepticon; who is it?" Verity asked.

"Cyclonus." Cerebros stated just as Optimus Prime entered the room.

"What is the situation, Cerebros?" Optimus Prime asked.

"We've just picked up Cyclonus on our long range sensors, approaching recklessly fast. Something tells me that he's not in a good mood." Cerebros said.

"It's Cyclonus; he's _never_ in a good mood." Verity quipped.

"Should I rally the other Autobots, Optimus?" Cerebros asked.

Optimus Prime thought for a brief moment before he said, "Allow Cyclonus to land at the front entrance. I will handle this."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Optimus, especially after you just got back the 'Con's old base?" Daniel asked.

"Cyclous is here for a reason, Daniel. I want to know why." Optimus Prime declared.

At the same time, Cyclonus had just landed outside the front entrance of the city with his gun drawn. Despite Metroplex being permanently offline, the outer guns trained down on the Decepticon as he paced back and forth. It wasn't long after the guns were tracking his movement that the main doors opened. Four Autobots emerged and the leading one was none other than Ultra Magnus, whom Cyclonus easily recognized at a glance. Two of the other Autobots appeared to be Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, while the other one Cyclonus didn't recognize. The new Autobot stepped forward flanking Ultra Magnus with a type of sub-machine gun aimed right at Cyclonus; Sideswipe and Sunstreaker stayed back just behind Magnus.

Magnus placed at hand on the gun of the flanking Autobot. "Ease down, Crosshairs. We don't want a conflict."

"Speak for yourself." Crosshairs quietly snapped.

"I will only ask this once, Magnus; where is Optimus Prime?" Cyclonus demanded.

Ultra Magnus looked at Crosshairs and tiled his head back ever so slightly, which basically told Crosshairs to back away. "Look Cyclonus, let's not do something anyone is going to regret. We still have a truce between our factions…"

"To the Pit with your truce. I want Optimus and I want him now or I swear on Primus' spark, I'll tear this entire city down." Cyclonus angrily claimed.

"You'll have to go through all of us first, 'con." Sideswipe declared.

"We won't make it easy on you." Sunstreaker added.

"Nobody is going to cause a situation." Ultra Magnus stated.

"I will, if you don't bring me Optimus Prime." Cyclonus demanded again.

"Stand down, all of you." said the voice of Optimus Prime.

The leader of the Autobots emerged from within the walls of the city, unarmed but cautious in the event of an incident. The other Autobots back away almost out of instinct, but they all retained their weapons in case Cyclonus tried something. Optimus Prime walked by them and offered only a passing glance at Ultra Magnus. It was as if he was commending his resolution of the situation. Cyclonus appeared tense throughout it all, as if he was a hair trigger away from snapping if hadn't done so already. Optimus Prime approached Cyclonus with a calm and cool demeanor without taking his optics off of the Decepticon. It was at that moment that Optimus had taken note that Galvatron was not present, and that was strange since Cyclonus hardly went anywhere by himself.

"Where is Galvatron, Cyclonus?" Optimus Prime asked.

Cyclonus narrowed his optics at Optimus and declared, "I was here to ask the same of you, Optimus Prime."

Optimus and Magnus exchanged glances before Magnus asked, "What're you talking about?"

Cyclonus stepped closer while staying on guard amongst the Autobots. "After you came to our base, Galvatron elected to investigate your claims of the Harbinger's arrival. I can only assume that he'd located it because I've lost contact with him soon after."

"Aw, poor Cyclonus misplaced his daddy. Boohoo!" Sunstreaker mocked, earning himself a grin from Sideswipe and Crosshairs.

"I would strongly suggest that you watch your tone, Autobot," Cyclonus coldly implied. "Truce or not, I can still kill you and your brother right here, just as some of your friends were kill right here in this city. Who were they; Inferno? Red Alert? Mirage? Windcharger? They all died here, did they not?"

"Okay, I'm going to shoot you now." Sunstreaker snapped and pulled his gun out. Crosshairs and Sideswipe did the same.

"Autobots, stand down! We're not going to have an incident here." Ultra Magnus said, and he stepped in front of the group to emphasize his point.

""Magnus, we can't let Cyclonus run down the Autobots that died during the siege. Those were our friends we lost on that cycle." Sideswipe explained.

"I'm well aware of that, Sideswipe, but they gave their lives for this truce to eventually happen. Let's not dishonor that." Ultra Magnus stated.

Optimus Prime, inwardly thankful that Ultra Magnus defused the situation albeit temporarily, took a long moment to consider what to do with Cyclonus. If what Cyclonus stated was the truth, and Galvatron had indeed gone missing, than there was more to the _Harbinger's_ sudden appearance than a simple assault. The loss of the human lives on the Moon was just the beginning of something bigger and as Optimus contemplated, he thought he saw Alpha Trion walking behind Cyclonus. No words of wisdom were spoken. It was as if Alpha Trion was taunting Optimus, a notice that was senseless in every aspect. Then Alpha Trion was gone, and Optimus was being addressed now by Ultra Magnus.

"Optimus, did you hear me?"

Optimus glanced at Magnus. "Magnus?"

"What should we do with Cyclonus?" Magnus asked.

Again, Optimus weighed his options and he eventually declared, "Cyclonus, I do not believe that the _Harbinger's_ sudden appearance and Galvatron's subsequent disappearance are each the product of mere coincidence. It stands to reason that someone other than Autobots or Decepticons is at the epicenter of this issue."

"Get to the point, Prime. You talk too much." Cyclonus spat.

Optimus let the blatant disregard for his authority slide and stated, "I believe we may learn more about this continued mystery if we were to work together."

"You mean if I defect to the Autobots." Cyclonus said almost incredulously.

"I never stated as such. This would be a temporary arrangement until the mystery of _Harbinger_ is solved and Galvatron is returned safely." Optimus Prime clarified.

Cyclonus glanced at the other Autobots while weighing his options, and they were limited at best. "I will accepts your terms, Optimus Prime, but understand that while I will work _with_ you, I have no intentions of working _for_ you. You'd be wise to remember the difference."

Optimus Prime understood clearly and he looked to his troops. "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Crosshairs, escort Cyclonus into the city and ensure that the other Autobots know that he is here under my orders."

The three Autobots were understandably reluctant to holster their guns, knowing what Cyclonus was capable of doing. But the did so regardless and one at a time. Sideswipe was the first to holster his weapon and he approached the Decepticon. Cyclonus displayed a wry sneer at Sideswipe. Sunstreaker followed suit and flanked Cyclonus opposite of Sideswipe. Crosshairs still had his gun out and showed his unwillingness to holster it. Instead, he took point and started back into the city.

At that point, Cyclonus was heard saying, "I can't wait to see what you've done with the place." That earned his menacing glared for all three Autobots as they moved on.

As they entered the city, Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime remained and Magnus asked, "Optimus, are you sure having Cyclonus within the city walls is a good idea?"

"If I am to be honest, my old friend, I have not been sure of anything as of late." Optimus finally confided in Ultra Magnus.

"You think something's going to happen?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"I do, and I believe that the Harbinger and whomever may be at its helm, lay at the epicenter." Optimus Prime stated.

* * *

Josie Beller was tired of waiting for President Keller to act, so she decided it was time to take matters into her own hands. With her Technobots still inactive, Josie elected to catch a flight to Oregon. She'd arrived at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to catch said flight after having attained plane tickets the day before. Her intentions were clear as crystal; confront the Autobots and demand that they leave Earth. If they didn't, then Josie was going to bring down the full force of the Military on them. She didn't give a damn if Keller approved it or not; Earth was not the Autobot's planet it never would be.

Now at the waiting area for the boarding of the plane to Oregon, Josie paced back and forth impatiently when she received a call from her phone. When she examined it, she noted that the number was restricted. She initially intended to ignore the call but her curiosity got the better of her and she answered.

"Hello?"

" _We know you're at the airport."_ a distorted voice spoke from the other end of the call.

Josie immediately knew who was on the other end. "How the hell did you get my number? How do you even know I'm here?"

" _We have our ways,"_ the distorted voice claimed, prompting Josie to look around the waiting area for anyone suspicious. _"You should be working on getting the Technobots online."_

"The Techno...," Josie stopped herself from spewing the details of her work in public. She didn't need that kind of attention. "I can't get them online. There's not enough power to spare."

" _So what then? Are you going to Autobot City to steal power from there? That's very unbecoming of a Military officer."_

"What would you know about the Military?" Josie asked almost out of anger.

" _More than you. Take my advice, Lieutenant; get back to work. Confronting the Autobots is not a path you want to follow."_

"With all due respect, go fuck yourself. The Autobots, the Decepticons… they all need to answer for the human lives lost because of their war." Josie then ended the call right then and there.

The announcement of the boarding chimed out and passengers began filing into the terminal leading to the plane. Josie gathered the only carry-on baggage she had and started to board the plane as well. As she went, she though for only a split second that someone was watching her. At the café opposite of the waiting area, Josie caught a glimpse of a man on his phone. Suspicious as she was, Josie entered the terminal and vanished. She just missed the man now making his way toward the waiting area and then soon after, entering the terminal.

* * *

Author's Note: Once again, took me a while to get the latest entry done.

So, we've gotten to the first meeting between Galvatron and Thunderwing, and Galvatron's a bit surprised to see Sentinel Prime as well. Sentinel doesn't seem to be doing well, and I may have hinted at something to happen later.

Meanwhile, Cyclonus confronts the Autobots and there is clearly some tension between them. Cyclonus even referenced the siege from TAAO.

And, Josie is taking matters into her own hands despite her benefactor suggesting otherwise, even using some colorful language. Gee, I wonder what going to happen!

Stay tuned for more and please leave a review.


	11. The Threats Of Change

Disclaimer: I'm kind of only slightly surprised in that reviews have been few and far between. Or maybe it's because it's summer and it steamy hot out.

In other news, another death has rocked the wrestling world. Rowdy Roddy Piper has passed away at age 61. My heart goes out to the family of the legendary WWE Hall of Famer. He will be greatly missed.

* * *

Chapter XI

The Autobots gathered in the primary area where Teletraan II was station were shocked beyond words once Cyclonus entered the area. Even with the combined efforts of Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Crosshairs surrounding him, there was still a palpable tension in the air that put the Autobots on edge. Cyclonus wasn't at all surprised and he clearly wasn't anymore thrilled to see the Autobots as they were to see him. A cascade of questions as to why he was even within the city and what he was going to do flooded the thoughts of every Autobot… except Breakaway.

The young Autobot, still brooding from the destruction of the lunar outpost and the loss of his friend Lennox, felt his anger welling even more from the mere sight of Cyclonus. Like his fellow Autobots, he wanted to know just what in the Pit was Cyclonus doing in the city. Unlike them however, he was thinking of all the ways he wanted to kill him. Once, Breakaway didn't like to kill anyone, not even Decepticons, unless he was left with no choice. That all changed after the death of Tempest by the Fallen-possessed Prowl.

Since then, Breakaway had become almost unsociable and more serious. He wasn't the cheerful youth the Autobots knew and loved. Now, he was legitimately ticked off. Seeing Cyclonus was making it worse. A lot of the other Autobots weren't the least bit thrilled to see him, but Breakaway was a hair away from instigating a full metal fistfight. It was only when Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus entered that Breakaway was able to compose himself long enough to hear what Cyclonus had to say.

Cyclonus looked around as the three Autobots flanking him backed away but still kept their guns on him. They weren't taking any chances and Cyclonus wasn't surprised. He already had more than enough reason to attack them, but there were two things wrong with that scenario. First; the truce was still in effect and if he opened fire, he'd break it and restart the hostilities and he'd be dead. Second; the Autobots surrounded him on all sides and if he opened fire, he'd be dead. Either way, he'd be dead.

Once they brought the lone Decepticon into the center of the room, guns still trained on him, Cyclonus took to surveying the area. He smirked and said, "At least you got rid of the dents and the scorch marks."

"We could always add more." Breakaway muttered, and he was deliberately audible enough for Cyclonus to hear him.

"Nice to see you too, Breakaway," Cyclonus said. "How's Tempest?"

Breakaway lunged for Cyclonus but Highbrow and Jazz quickly stopped him. "You don't get to say her name, Cyclonus. You understand that? I'll scrap you and every other Decepticon until there's nothing left of any of you."

Ultra Magnus stepped in front of Breakaway to calm him down. "That's enough, Breakaway. This isn't helping anyone."

Breakaway calmed down and allowed Highbrow and Jazz to release. "When has anything helped anyone?" he asked before storming off.

Cyclonus only huffed when Optimus Prime confronted him. "Cyclonus, bear in mind that you are here on my orders. You would do well not to antagonize the rest of the Autobots."

"My presence here is a temporary arrangement until we've located Galvatron. Afterwards… we'll see what happens."

"Understood, but until Galvatron is found, you will be kept under close observation. We will allow you to make use of Talatraan II, but nothing more." Optimus Prime stated.

"Well, don't make it too easy for me, Optimus." Cyclonus mockingly stated before he approached Talatraan II.

As he worked, Highbrow whispered, "Optimus, are you certain this is a good idea? Cyclonus might attempt to sabotage Talatraan II, and right in front of us if we're not careful."

"I am not taking any chances, Highbrow, but we still remain without a clear idea as to how or why the _Harbinger_ has reemerged or who is piloting it." Optimus whispered back.

"I couldn't sabotage your computer if I wanted to seeing as you updated you security measures," Cyclonus stated out loud, revealing he was aware of the implications. "Even so, I have no interest in your secrets. I'm bringing up a detailed image of Galvatron's most recent flight path."

Cyclonus was, so far, staying true to his word. The Autobots gathered around the screen like humans would gather around a campfire, annoying Cyclonus more than making him nervous. They studied the screen closely, following the rapidly extending path of flight Galvatron had seemingly taken. He was clearly leaving the planet for a reason, which Optimus surmised was to investigate the Harbinger. The flight then inexplicably vanished, somewhere around the vicinity of the Moon.

Just outside of the room, Breakaway stood cross-armed at the entrance staring coldly at Cyclonus as he worked when Hotrod approached him. "You okay?" Hotrod asked.

"We've got a Decepticon standing right in front of us, Hotrod, using our computer. I don't like it and don't trust him." Breakaway stated.

"The same things have been said about Tempest." Hotrod pointed out, earning ire from Breakaway.

"Tempest _was_ one of us."

"After she defected, yeah. Look, I'm not saying we should brand the Autobot insignia on Cyclonus, but we should at least to tolerate him long enough to get to the bottom of this issue with the Harbinger." Hotrod.

"Is that what we did, Hotrod? We tolerated her?" Breakaway asked almost accusingly to Hotrod.

"That's not what I meant." Hotrod defensively stated.

"Sometimes, I wonder." Breakaway said and stormed off.

Hotrod attempted to catch Breakaway before Optimus Prime stopped him. "I will speak to him, Hotrod. You and Ultra Magnus watch Cyclonus closely."

Hotrod understood, but his thoughts were more on Breakaway than Cyclonus. "He's in pain, Optimus. He's suffering just like I suffered when you…" he stopped speaking, clearly not wanting to relive that moment.

"We all have moments take a toll on us." Optimus Prime stated and, after giving Hotrod a light tap on his shoulder, departed to see to Breakaway.

When Optimus Prime was out of view, Hotrod looked back at Cyclonus and the horde of Autobots watching him. But Hotrod though more about what Optimus said to him. And, he was right; there were moment that took a toll on everyone. Hotrod could attest better than anyone. The day of the siege of Autobot City was still fresh in his thoughts, and he didn't want to relive that moment ever. Looking back at Cyclonus, Hotrod couldn't shake the feeling that that was exactly where things were going. And, he didn't like it.

* * *

The airplane traveled overhead of country at less than its maximum speed and traveling at half the maximum height. At that rate, it would reach its destination within the next few hours, give or take. Josie was restless sitting in her seat, which offered the view of the country as well as the massive wing. As she gazed out the window, she pondered which of the 50 states she was examining. It could've been Ohio or Indiana, Illinois or Missouri, Nebraska or Kansas. Some called it the Heartland of America, and others, because of the propensity for tornado outbreaks, called it Tornado Alley.

Josie was hardly concerned for the latter. A tornado didn't frighten her, nor did giant alien robots. The thing was, tornadoes were forces of nature; aliens were aliens. Tornadoes could at least be predicted to prevent the deaths of innocent people. Aliens were unpredictable, and that made them far more dangerous than tornadoes. Josie had good reason – at least in her mind it was good reason – to hate aliens, particularly the ones that masquerade as cars, planes, extinct reptiles and weapons. For all she knew, the very commercial airliner in which she traveled was an alien Transformer.

For all her thoughts, Josie had the wherewithal to glance around the cabin. For that one split second, she noted a suspicious looking man seating toward the other side of cabin. He didn't look her way or even made the effort to do so, but Josie recognized him as the guy from the café back at RRWN Airport. He had to be working for Josie's as yet unknown associates. Josie wasn't going to make a scene, not a plane loaded with people. She sure as hell wasn't going to confront this man, but she'd be damned in she was going be intimidated.

 _Go ahead and try me, you bastard._

* * *

Optimus Prime found Breakaway standing alone on the balcony overlooking the hills and leading further off toward the mountains. In times of relative peace, like today, taking in the serene images that Earth provided was enough to put most of the Autobots at ease. Optimus Prime rarely afforded himself the opportunity to do so but whenever he did, it reminded him of what he fought and at one point died for. He expected Breakaway to have the same feeling of Earth's natural wonders, but he sensed a troubled state from the young Autobot that stemmed from a great loss.

Without speaking a word, Optimus Prime approached Breakaway until he stood next to him. Breakaway became instantly aware of the leader of the Autobots without glancing in his direction, and he didn't say anything to break the silence. It wasn't as though he had nothing to say or wanted to say, but more along the parameters of not having the first idea what to say. That was okay; Optimus Prime didn't expect Breakaway to open up to him in an instant. Being a leader had certain responsibilities and gauging the emotional states of one's troops was among those responsibilities. But to Optimus Prime, his Autobots weren't simply troops within an army anymore. They'd become a family, and Breakaway was a part of that family.

"Something has been troubling you, Breakaway."

"Was I that obvious," Breakaway asked. "Who am I kidding, of course I was."

"I initially surmised that it had something to do with the presence of Cyclonus in our city, but I sense it goes beyond that. You are thinking about the one named Tempest." Optimus Prime determined, and Breakaway knew he was correct.

"Yeah." Breakaway said.

Again, it was something Optimus Prime had the ability to understand. He leaned forward, using his arms to steady himself on the elevated ledge. "From what little I gathered from Hotrod, you and Tempest were closer than simply as friends. You had very strong feeling for her."

"Yeah." Breakaway said.

Despite his more stoic than often nature, Optimus understood. "Based upon the testimonies of Hotrod, Arcee and others, Tempest was kind and courageous beyond measure and she would not have defected from the Decepticons otherwise."

"That was Tempest alright," Breakaway said with a small smile for what seemed like the first time in ages. "You would've liked her, Optimus."

"Of this, I have no doubt. I am sorry that I did not have the opportunity to know her." Optimus Prime said.

Breakaway provided a nod of agreement, and he and Optimus took the next few moments to look out over the roaming grasslands beyond the city. For the passed seven months or so, there hadn't been any cause for concern. The days the carried on were as peaceful and tranquil as anything put to the imagination. Breakaway, when off duty, allowed himself moments like this to reflect on times passed when Tempest was alive and standing beside. He also remembered Springer and the Aerialbots, Kup, and many other Autobots that gave their lives for this peace. But more often than not, Breakaway recalled how they were all lost. Especially Tempest, and to this cycle, he still didn't know why.

"Optimus, did anyone tell you how Tempest died?" he asked.

Optimus Prime was silent for a long while before he replied, "I had spoken of Tempest's death with Ultra Magnus considering he was present at the time. His accounts indicate that Prowl was responsible for her death. But I am also well aware that Prowl was in fact possessed by the Fallen and he met his end at your hands."

"I keep telling myself that that wasn't the _real_ Prowl, that it was just some imitation. I thought killing him bring me some closure, but then Lennox is killed by whoever is on the Harbinger and now, we've got Cyclonus playing with Talatraan II."

"The situation is far from ideal, Breakaway, but we must for the time being cooperate with Cyclonus until we can unravel this mystery of the _Harbinger_." Optimus Prime explained to Breakaway.

Breakaway knew that Optimus was right, but he still had mixed emotions about it. "I know, but something about all this just seems off. I don't trust Cyclonus."

"Nor do I." Optimus Prime stated.

"Optimus," It was Arcee that called out to Optimus Prime. "We need you back at Talatraan II. There's a development."

* * *

A few minutes later Optimus Prime and Breakaway returned to Talatraan II after following Arcee, and each of them had the initial belief that Cyclonus had attempted something against the Autobots. But the Autobots were all still standing and Cyclonus was still surrounded by each and every one of them, but he was seemingly frozen in place. Then Optimus saw why. The screen had a real time image of a steadily dropping trajectory that Optimus assumed to one of two things. But rather than speaking to Cyclonus, whom Optimus was certain would withhold information, Optimus turned to Ultra Magnus instead.

"What is the situation, Magnus?" he asked.

"We just detected a sudden change in the distance and trajectory of the _Harbinger's_ current position. Based on what we're seeing, it looks like it descending." Ultra Magnus explained.

"I could've told him that, Magnus." Cyclonus snapped without glancing at either of them.

"Eat scrap, Cyclonus." Breakaway snapped back.

Ignoring the banter, Ultra Magnus continued, "It'll be entering Earth's atmosphere within the next five point seven cycles give or take. Whoever's at the helm of that thing may be looking to make a dramatic entrance."

"Do we have any idea where it's headed?" Hotrod asked.

"Here," Cyclonus pointed to an overhead map of the United States, specifically the West Coast. "It appears to be descending near the location of what the humans call the Bay Area."

"San Francisco." Optimus Prime grimly determined.

"There's something else; an encrypted transmission coming from the _Harbinger_ itself." Cyclonus said.

"Patch it through." Optimus Prime said.

Cyclonus did so and the voice that came through was garbled, but deep and commanding. _"TO THE CYBERTRONIAN REFUGEES HIDING ON THIS PLANET, MY NAME IS THUNDERWING AND I HAVE COME IN SEARCH OF A RELIC OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. I DEMAND THAT THE CURRENT LEADER OF THE REFUGEES CONVERGE WITH ME AT THE COORDINATES ENCODED IN THIS MESSAGE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WOULD BE MOST UNWISE."_

The transmission ended and a series of numerical sequences appeared that the Autobots recognized as coordinates before Optimus Prime pressed his fingers to his head. "Brainstorm, we are uploading the following coordinates to you now. Prepare to open the Ground Bridge."

* * *

The Harbinger made a steady descent toward Earth at a manageable rate, with the initial entry engulfing the ship in fire. Inside the ship, the crew maintained the descent. The interior shook from the force of the descent, but Tigatron expertly maintained the control. To his side, Skullcrusher seemed to be enjoying the fall. He was laughing a twisted laugh that Tigatron heard only once before; when Skullcrusher killed an innocent creature for fun. It made him sick to hear the perverse pleasure Skullcrusher seemed to take from death.

Behind the two helmsmen, Dark Steel monitored the steady drop and saw the flames gathering around the view port. Thunderwing sat at his captain's chair with an uninterested posture, as if he was sitting on the chair for the sake of sitting on the chair. His thoughts however, as Dark Steel inwardly determined, were on the Star Saber and the ironclad notion that he'd find it on Earth. The humans weren't going to hide it from Thunderwing.

"Tigatron, what's our ETA to planet fall?" Dark Steel asked.

"At our current rate of descent, we'll be at the designated coordinates in approximately fourteen point two eighteen nanoseconds and counting." Tigatron reported.

"That's very good, and hopefully, the recipients of the message will have the Star Saber in hand. It should be easy." Thunderwing mused.

Tigatron turned in his chair to face Thunderwing. "Captain, a question if I may."

"What is it, Tigatron?"

"This Star Saber you keep going on about; is it really so important that it be found and added to the other relics." Tigatron asked.

"It's more than important; it's a necessity. The Star Saber is the weapon that first felled the Chaos Bringer Unicron, used by the leader of the Original Primes, Prima. Then, it was lost in the annuals of time," Thunderwing explained and rose from his chair to continue. "It's taken millennia to retrieve the other relics in my vault, but the Star Saber is the one and only relic I've yet to attain. So yes, Tigatron; it is important."

Tigatron wasn't fully convinced. "But so important that we'd assault an outpost in space, or capture and torture a former Prime and then cut the Terrorcons loose on an unsuspecting Cybertronian? We could've pursued more peaceful solutions."

Thunderwing approached Tigatron and loomed directly over him. "I think I've made it abundantly clear that you shouldn't question my orders on the matter. Do it again, and I'll have Skullcrusher here toss you out of the airlock. And believe me, he'll enjoy it."

Tigatron said nothing else, but he continued to mentally question not just Thunderwing's order but also his sanity. Then he looked at Skullcrusher leering right back at him. Thunderwing was right; Skullcrusher would've enjoyed tossing Tigatron out of an airlock. Sadism had many forms and many faces, and Skullcrusher had the worst of them. Thunderwing assumed that Tigatron had nothing more to say and turned back toward his chair. His pressed his fingers to his head and put in a call to Tarantulas.

"Tarantulas, give me an update your operation."

" _I'm already more that halfway toward the completion of the new chassis. It should be complete by the time the Harbinger is within the planet's stratosphere."_

"Well done. Keep me posted."

* * *

Tarantulas had made progress on his work. Galvatron's body was now laid out on a separate operating table, minus his arms and his face. The insides of his face were exposed and the optics with dimmed completely black. Yet, Galvatron was still alive in a different sort of way and Tarantulas made certain that the Decepticon tyrant's Spark was aware of it. His Spark was encased in a glass container akin to a human's brain or heart lungs, shimmering in a brilliant blue hue. The Spark Extractor obviously did its work, allowing Tarantulas to make his steady progress.

Through all of Tarantulas' machinations, Sentinel Prime was made to watch the sick operation. It made his circuits sizzle, seeing what Tarantulas had been doing to Galvatron. Tarantulas had butchered and maimed Galvatron, starting by literally ripping his Spark out of his body and placing it in a glass jar. It was sick and disturbing. Not even Galvatron deserved this kind of torture… if it was torture.

"What've you done to him?" Sentinel Prime managed to ask.

Tarantulas stopped what he was doing and turned to Sentinel. "Making some changes or rather, some corrections."

"Corrections? You butchered him. What sort of endgame are you trying to reach?" Sentinel asked again.

If Tarantulas had an actual mouth instead of a maw, he'd be smirking. "Let's just say I'm taking things back to basics. But I'll be happy to give you a small preview of what's to come."

Then Tarantulas operated a console beside him. A screen grew into existence and showed Sentinel Prime a detailed image of Galvatron's chassis. Small and subtle alteration began to take place upon the image, and at first, Sentinel Prime couldn't figure out what he was seeing. But then the image took shape like any other Transformer tended to do, and Sentinel saw the image becoming very different from its previous appearance. Yet, it was taking on familiar aspects that rocked Sentinel Prime to his core. Tarantulas wasn't kidding when he said he was taking thing back to basics.

"That's impossible," Sentinel claimed. "He's dead."

Tarantulas simply said, "Is he?"

* * *

Author's note: That puts this chapter in the books. There isn't a whole to it as it's mainly filler. There still some tension between the Autobots and Cyclonus although it subtle.

There was a nice little Spark to Spark between Optimus Prime and Breakaway, which I thought would be fresh since they never really interacted before.

As far Galvatron… you'll see very soon. Just don't spoil anything. I mean it; don't spoil anything.

Please leave a few reviews or if you have any questions, hit me up via private messages.

IN MEMORY OF  
ROWDY RODDY PIPER  
1954 - 2015


	12. Rebirth Pt I

Disclaimer: Good to see my story getting some feedback, including from one of my strongest supporters, Megagalvatron12. Definitely good to be back! Speaking of back... wait until you see what I got cooked up.

As always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XII

The Golden Gate Bridge spanned the length of the Golden Gate strait between San Francisco and Marin County. First opened in 1937, it was at one time considered the longest suspension bridge until the year of 1964. It spanned the three-mile wide, three-mile long channel between the Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean. Resting within the Bay Area was Alcatraz Island, once one of the world most inescapable super prisons turned into a tourist attraction.

On the Golden Gate Bridge, amid the typical traffic jam of an average day, a young girl with shoulder length blonde hair stared uninterested at the prison-turned-tourist spot. Her name was Tessa. She was likely around the ages of six or seven, and she was bored in the unmoving car. Her brother Shane was slightly older than her at roughly ten. He teased Tessa from time to time but for the most part, he let her be. Their parents sat in the front seats, named Cade, who was sitting at the wheel, and Charlotte Yeager. They were just as bored as their children of siting in the car waiting for the traffic move.

Tessa continued to stare out of the car window when something caught her attention; some sort of shadow. At first she though it was plume of clouds blotting the Sun and slowly hovering above Alcatraz Island. Shane caught sight of the shadow also and assumed it was underwater when it passed completely over the island. Then they both looked up toward the sky and felt a mix of astonishment and fear. Tessa back away and tapped the back of her father's seat.

"Daddy, look… it's a space ship." she said with innocence in her voice.

Cade, tired and bored as he was, barely managed to reply, "That nice, baby."

"Mommy…" Tessa said to Charlotte.

"It'll be over soon, Tessa. Play with your brother." Charlotte said.

"Uh, Mom, Dad, you might wanna see this." Shane said with a slightly more worried tone in his voice.

Again, Cade and Charlotte barely gave any thought to their kid's statement until they saw a couple of people seemingly running scared right passed their car. Then Cade saw something he'd wasn't expecting and stepped out the driver's seat. Charlotte was confused by Cade's sudden exit and she followed him. Then she saw what he saw and what Tessa and Shane had seen far earlier than either of them.

A massive, alien ship hovered overhead, large enough to blot out the Sun. Dark and mysterious, it cast a massive shadow over the bay. Its black and gray and purple colors, along with the pointed protrusions at the bow and lowered wings at the stern only added to the menace it seemed to exude. It was slowly descending and, to the people watching from the Golden Gate Bridge, seemed to be getting much larger with every second that passed.

Cade and Charlotte were almost to the point of petrification when they slowly got back into the car. Tessa instinctively crawled into her mother's arms and embraced her. Shane was scared as well, but he couldn't pull himself away from the window. It couldn't be determined if he was terrified or mesmerized by the sight. Cade was just as stunned, but as any father would do, he was going to do his damnedest to protect his family. He just hoped it'd be enough.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Harbinger_ , Skullcrusher already had a weapons lock on the bridge. "So many targets. I want to shoot them so bad. Captain, please let me shoot them."

"Haven't you shot enough already, Skullcrusher?" Tigatron asked.

"I take it back; let me shoot Tigatron, Captain." Skullcrusher growled without hiding his disdain of his fellow helmsman.

"I suggest you rein in those psychotic urges, Skullcrusher. The Star Saber is the priority and the Cybertronians that currently inhabit this world must have it or know of it." Thunderwing explained.

"If they don't, then can I shoot something?" Skullcrusher asked, but Thunderwing ignored him.

"Tigatron, bring the ship into a stationary position parallel to that suspension bridge and maintain the current altitude."

Despite receiving his orders, Tigatron was reluctant to comply with his Captain's request. But when he noticed Thunderwing looming over him, he said, "Bringing the _Harbinger_ into position, Captain."

"Is there a problem, Tigatron?" Thunderwing inquired.

Without attempting to look over his shoulder, Tigatron stated, "No, sir. No problem."

"Good," Thunderwing said and returned to his chair. "Tarantulas, status report."

 _"He's nearly ready, Captain. I just need to make a few more adjustment."_ Tarantulas replied over the comm.

"Make it so. In the meantime, let's see how those Cybertronian refugees plan to respond to our presence." Thunderwing said.

* * *

Josie was already aware of the alien ship by the time the plane landed. As such, she bolted from the terminal and searched for the nearest monitor covering the developing story coming in from San Francisco. The alien ship was on the screen, being view through the shaking camera of some random tourist. Josie missed the man from Washington DC walking passed the crowded area, but he had a clear view of her. When she turned for a brief moment, he was already gone, but she knew he'd been following her since DC.

Turning her gaze back to the monitor, she continued to stare nearly blankly at the alien vessel was hovering just over the Golden Gate Bridge. Fear gripped her like a scorpion gripping dead cricket in its claws just as was whipping its tail to deliver the killing blow. Josie felt like she was relieving Seattle; that was day that her fiancé Dylan Gould, was killed. The worst part; she wasn't even there. The Transformers were and their war led to Dylan's death and the deaths of countless humans.

Josie had no intentions of reliving that nightmare. She stormed out of the crowd and headed for the nearest exit. Outside, the road was already packed with vehicles moving to and from the parking area. Josie rushed for the nearest taxi. A man of husky build, wearing a business suit, was getting out of the backseat and reaching into the trunk for his luggage. Josie shoved him aside and jumped into the backseat without caring if the fare was paid or not. The cabby was an unassuming African-American male. He looked back at the woman in the backseat of his taxi.

"So, where you need to go, ma'am?" he asked.

"Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and step on it." Josie demanded.

The cabby was stunned. "San Fran…? Didn't you hear the news, lady? The National Guard's already closed that place off."

"I'm an officer in the United States Military and I am TELLING you to take to me to San Francisco. NOW!"

Realizing that his latest passenger was dead serious, the cabby took off down the road.

* * *

Brainstorm had the Ground Bridge prepped to be activated when Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrived. Then Cyclonus appeared right behind Optimus Prime and Brainstorm reacted, only for Optimus to halt him. Cyclonus was a hair away from drawing his gun but stopped when he remembered his own predicament. Once the situation was diffused, Optimus saw it time to analyze the task at hand.

"Brainstorm, is the Ground Bridge ready for operation?"

"She's fully charged and ready to go, Optimus." Brainstorm replied, but his optics were focused on the lone Decepticon in the Autobot's midst.

Cyclonus studied the Ground Bridge and sneered. "So this is how you found us? This is a pathetically poor excuse for a Space Bridge."

Ignoring the comments of Cyclonus, Optimus Prime placed a call to the comm. tower and to Cerebros. "Cerebros, what is the current position of the _Harbinger_?"

" _The Harbinger has taken up a stationary position parallel to the Golden Gate Bridge, and it's maintaining that position."_ Cerebros reported.

"They're waiting for something." Elita One reasoned.

"They are waiting for us." Optimus Prime confirmed.

" _Optimus,"_ Spike called from the comm. tower. _"There're civilians trapped on the bridge. There's no telling what kind of damage that ship's going to do."_

"The humans should've been on the bridge in the first place. Let them die." Cyclonus snapped, and that earned him a series of cold stares from the Autobots.

"Cyclonus, it is our duty to defend humanity from threats such as this." Optimus Prime stated.

"Your duty, not mine and not the Decepticons." Cyclonus countered.

"Be that as it may," Optimus Prime gave Cyclonus no further thought and addressed his Autobots. "At the moment, our priority is the safety of the humans trapped on the bridge. We will split into two teams to accomplish this mission."

"What's the plan, Optimus?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Ultra Magnus, you and Elita One will take Bumblebee, Jazz, Highbrow and Triage to assist the human authorities with the evacuation of civilians. Meanwhile, I will take Hotrod, Arcee, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Crosshairs to the site of the _Harbinger._ With luck, we may be able to reason with whomever is helming the ship."

"What about him?" Hotrod asked while he pointed to Cyclonus.

Thinking for no more than a moment, Optimus Prime declared, "Cyclonus will accompany my team. Breakaway, I am placing you in charge of watching Cyclonus."

"Gladly." Breakaway sneered. Cyclonus sneered back.

"Brainstorm, open the Ground Bridge. Magnus your team will go first."

* * *

The San Francisco Police had their hands full in trying to assist any civilians still trapped on the Golden Gate, doing the best they could with a handful at a time. Civilians were frantic to get far away from the supposed alien invasion taking place right in front of them. Even with the National Guard, there over a thousand individual civilians on the bridge and God knows however many in the city itself. Back up was needed in the worst way possible. Then a swirling green vortex suddenly opened and a series of vehicles emerged.

One was a gigantic blue, white and red car transport. A red motorcycle followed the car transport and following that were a yellow Versa and a silver sports car. A white and orange ambulance followed and following that one an airborne, twin-rotor aircraft. The leading vehicle stopped and transformed right in front of the National Guard, with many of the soldier in awe of the massive mechanoid now standing in front of them. The rest of the vehicles transformed in one fluidic motion and took up position around the leader.

"Who's in charge here?" Ultra Magnus asked, and a human dressed accordingly like a soldier in charge stepped forward.

"Lt. Commander Joyce; I'm running operations."

"What's the situation?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"We've managed to get the front most civilians out of harm's way, but there're still people in their vehicles and we don't enough manpower to get them out."

"We do," Magnus said and turned to his team. "Elita, take Bumblebee and secure the parameter around this area. Jazz, I need you to help get the trapped vehicle into my cab. Highbrow, I needs optics on everything; call out any strays, and Triage, help the medical personnel with their wounded."

"Understood, Ultra Magnus." Triage said and returned to his ambulance form.

"Bumblebee, you're with me." Elita said and she and Bumblebee took a position around the primary area.

"I got the civilian's cars, Magnus." Jazz said and he was already making for the bridge.

"I'm going airborne, Ultra Magnus. I'll keep you posted." Highbrow returned to his vehicle form and lifted into the sky.

"Hey, you got an idea of what the hell's happening out there?" Lt. Commander Joyce asked.

"I learned a long time ago to never ask questions to which I don't have the answers. Let's just worry about getting these people to safety."

With that, Ultra Magnus transformed back into his vehicle form and moving in reverse to start taking the trapped vehicles. Jazz began moving along the street and tiptoeing in between the cars, careful to not step on any people running passed his feet. The soldiers of the National Guard directed the civilians, including the Yeager family that first spotted the alien ship above the bay. Jazz picked the abandoned car two at a time and formed a straight line for the still running one to move along. Taking six vehicles at a time, Ultra Magnus transported them to a safe area where Triage and the medical personnel did their duty. Hopefully, Magnus thought, Optimus Prime and his team were having the same amount of luck.

The swirling vortex of the Ground Bridge allowd the small number of vehicles to come through, led by the massive Peterbilt truck that was the alternate form of Optimus Prime. He assumed his bipedal form followed in unison by Hotrod and then Arcee. Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Crosshairs assumed their robotic forms and had they weapons deployed and ready. Cyclonus and Breakaway were the last to come through the portal. Breakaway had his gun barrel trained on the Decepticon's head and made it well known that all he needed to do was pull the trigger.

Optimus Prime looked up. The _Harbinger_ was high up in the sky and hovered there like the most ominous dark cloud any one had ever seen. Flashbacks of the great warship flooded Optimus Prime's memory banks. It was during the Great War that he and others like Ultra Magnus and Ironhide first bore witness to the _Harbinger_. It was supposed to be the crowning technological achievement of the Decepticons. Then it vanished into the farthest reaches of the universe, never to be seen again.

Until now…

Optimus looked to Sideswipe. "Sideswipe, send up a flare."

"Got it, boss 'bot!" Sideswipe replied.

With the aid of Sunstreaker, Sideswipe repurposed his shoulder-mounted rocket to act as a flare. He'd replace it later. Dropping to one knee to steady himself, Sideswipe arched his back, aimed the rocket up toward the sky toward the front of the ship and fired. The rocket went flying straight toward the sky leaving its contrail behind.

Hotrod stood next to Optimus Prime with a troubled look. "Think that'll get their attention?"

"I believe that it will, Hotrod. Be ready for anything." Optimus already had his rifle deployed, and the rest of the Autobots followed suit.

* * *

Skullcrusher was the first to see the flair and he went into a frenzy. "They're shooting at us. Returning fire…" he went to slam his hand onto the console but something stopped him.

Thunderwing was standing over the loose cannon helmsman, gripping his forearm and squeezing for good measure. "Holster that trigger finger, Skullcrusher. That's a signal flare out there."

Dark Steel stood next to Thunderwing and studied the flare as it vanished. "They're trying to communicate with us. What's your plan, Captain?"

Thunderwing thought for a moment before he contacted Tarantulas in the infirmary. "Tarantulas, give me a update on the subject."

" _I'm making some final adjustments on the subject; should be finished soon."_ Tarantulas replied.

"Keep me posted," Thunderwing said and finished the call. Then he started out of the bridge while stating, "Dark Steel, you have the bridge."

"You're going down there, sir?" Dark Steel asked.

"They only want to communicate, and they're the best lead I'll have to finding the Star Saber." Thunderwing explained.

"I would suggest bringing backup." Dark Steel stated.

"I'll keep that under advisement, but I doubt it'll be necessary. Besides…" Thunderwing turned back to his Second in Command. "There's no reason we can't be civil." Then Thunderwing departed the bridge.

* * *

Optimus Prime and Co. waited patiently for something, for anything actually, to happen after Sideswipe sent up the flare. While Hotrod and Arcee stood at each side of their leader, Crosshairs and Sunstreaker joined Breakaway in keeping Cyclonus under control. Sideswipe was ready to send up another flare in case Optimus Prime needed him to do so. Optimus maintained his composer even as the Autobots grew restless, and for no more than fleeting moment, he took his optics off of the Harbinger.

Far in the distance passed the abandoned vehicle lining the street, he saw Alpha Trion standing dead center and staring back at him. Optimus was certain that he was seeing nothing more than a hallucination brought by his own rebirth. Yet at the same time, he wondered if it really was his former mentor and if it was indeed true that Alpha Trion was one of the Original Primes. Optimus Prime struggled to figure it out to the point of flashing his optics on and off and rubbing his face like a human. When he returned his gaze, Alpha Trion was gone.

"Optimus, are you okay?" Arcee asked him.

For once, Optimus had no way of replying. "I am… not sure."

"Heads up, I see somebody out on the hull." Sideswipe called.

The Autobots all looked up toward the bow of the Harbinger and a lone figure was visible atop the hull. Hotrod focused his optics toward the bow using his built-in ocular lens, which he hadn't used since the day the Decepticons laid the siege on Autobot City. He saw something else, something that couldn't be explained. The figure appeared to produce… wings. Dragon wings. The figure leapt from the bow and a changed its shape in mid stride until it resembled a flying creature. It let out a might roar that shook the bridge and then it took to the sky.

Optimus Prime followed the creature's every move as it flew or glided across the sky with his pulsating blue optics without showing a hint of emotion. The other Autobots looked up in awe of what they were seeing. The creature had the telltale signs of what humans in Ancient Times called a dragon. In addition to the massive wings, an elongate tail with a two sets of spikes at it the end and a long neck and head. The head had a set of curved horns on top. As the Autobots were in awe, the dragon-like beast let out another loud roar before it started its descent… straight for them.

While the other Autobots backed away, Optimus Prime was the only one to stand his ground as the dragon landed in front of him, standing on four bestial legs. The dragon growled at Optimus Prime, who noted that the beast was clearly mechanical like him. And judging by what Hotrod saw, this beast was a Transformer just as was Optimus. The dragon lurched its head and neck forward to study Optimus, even sniffing him like any carbon-based, organic life form. Though he wasn't sure if the dragon could understand him, Optimus Prime decided it was time to make contact.

"My name is Optimus Prime, and I am the leader of the Autobots. I am compelled to ask; who or what are you?"

The dragon cocked its head to the side as Optimus Prime noted the pincer-like mandible on its face Then the beast transformed to its natural appearance; a hulking robot that barely stood half a foot taller than Optimus. The Autobots stood their ground and held their guns on the invader, and Optimus was too cautious not to have them stand down. The invader gave no indication that he was hostile, but even Optimus knew that didn't mean he came in peace.

"Optimus Prime, I have to say it's an honor to finally meet you in person," the stranger said with a calm and almost benevolent tone. "My name is Thunderwing, and I'm the Captain of the _Harbinger_."

"Why are you here," Optimus Prime asked.

"Straight on to the point, I like that. My crew and I have traversed an ocean of stars in search of the relics of the Original Primes. In particular, I'm here looking for the Star Saber, the weapon wielded by Prima to first defeat Unicron. I'm sure you've heard of it." Thunderwing explained while remaining rather reserved and calm.

Optimus Prime pressed the issue. "Why is it that you seek the Star Saber?"

Thunderwing smirked and replied, "That's no concern of yours. Tell me; where is the Star Saber?"

"No," Optimus Prime flatly said. "First you will tell me what gave you the right to attack the lunar outpost on the Moon. Then you will explain the subsequent disappearance of the Decepticon leader, Galvatron."

Thunderwing laughed despite the seriousness in Optimus Prime's tone. "Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, Optimus Prime. In fact, I'd prefer to keep this exchange as civilized as possible."

"Civilized," Breakaway shouted, drawing the attention of both Optimus and Thunderwing. "Is that what you thought when you destroyed the outpost, killing everyone there including a human I considered a friend?"

"The destruction of that outpost was unfortunate but necessary." Thunderwing claimed.

"No, it was not, and neither is abducting the leader of the Decepticons with whom the Autobots are in a truce." Optimus Prime declared.

"Enough of this nonsense. Tell me what you've done with Galvatron. NOW!" Cyclonus demanded while coming close to pushing passed Breakaway, Crosshairs and Sunstreaker.

Rather than addressing Cyclonus directly, Thunderwing asked Optimus, "Is this one your prisoner?"

"Cyclonus seeks to know the fate of Galvatron just as the Autobots seek justice for the destruction of the lunar outpost and the lives lost there. You instigated the attack without provocation and thus…"

"Spare me your tired accusation just tell me where you're hiding the Star Saber." Thunderwing demanded and took a step forward. "Or maybe I should go and ask the other Prime."

"The other Prime," Optimus queried and then in the next moment, he knew. "Sentinel? He is alive? What have you done with him?"

"That doesn't matter. Tell me where the Star Saber is hidden." Thunderwing snapped.

"Even had I known that information, I would not tell you after what you have done. At this moment, you will answer for your crimes against this planet and its people." Optimus Prime declared.

"So be it." Thunderwing said and deployed a rifle, aimed it straight at Optimus Prime and opened fire.

Optimus Prime leapt clear of the oncoming blast that soon after vaporized a few parked vehicles and sent others flying off the bridge. The other Autobots were quick to react to the sudden attack. Hotrod, Sideswipe and Arcee charged against Thunderwing all at once, but Hotrod got close first. He deployed his energy crossbow and peppered Thunderwing with bolts, most of them being blocked and batted away. Sideswipe dropped low and, as his name suggested, swiped at Thunderwing's side with sword. The tip caught Thunderwing but didn't do any damage. Thunderwing responded with a hard backhand to Sideswipe's face and knocked him down. Seeing his brother knocked away prompted Sunstreaker to charge. Rather than use his weapon, Sunstreaker went in full force with his fists.

He moved in close and wailed on Thunderwing with face a body shot. Thunderwing simply shrugged off the blows and caught Sunstreaker's next oncoming punch in his hand. Arcee made her move, somersaulting directly over Thunderwing while raining down a rapid fire stream. She landed on the other side while still firing, eventually being joined in her attack by Crosshairs. Both fired at Thunderwing with an onslaught of laser fire before Thunderwing launched Sunstreaker into them. Hotrod got in front of Thunderwing and tried firing more of his energy bolts point blank, but Thunderwing kicked him back to the ground.

Soon, Thunderwing turned his attention to Optimus Prime, who deployed his energy arm blades and started to advance. As Thunderwing did the same, a loud boom in the sky suddenly halted them. Everyone that was present looked up toward the Harbinger and spotted a craft leaving it. It was moving fast, too fast to identified as human aircraft. Not even Breakaway or Cyclonus could move at the speed it was flying. The craft banked hard and approached the battlefield with recklessness but a apparent purpose. Of all those who looked, Thunderwing was the one cracking sly grin as he knew that Tarantulas had done his best work yet.

The craft drew closer and then changed shape and landed directly between Optimus Prime and Thunderwing. The new arrival kept its features hidden away, but Optimus Prime had already begun to study. He couldn't begin to believe his optic. There was no mistaking the silver scheme or the enlarged arm cannon on the right arm. The additions and purple trim and spiked shoulders added to it. The silver helmet, newly pointed along the corners would've been a dead giveaway had the new arrival not taken the moment to speak for the first.

"Optimus Prime…" he spoke in the raspy, growling voice that Optimus Prime knew all too well.

"No. It cannot be."

"It is as you see it, Optimus," the new arrival stated and rose to his feet, revealing his face to Optimus Prime, while the rest of the Autobots and even Cyclonus looked on in utter shock. Standing before all of them was Megatron. "I have returned."

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

Author's Note: I've decided well ahead of time that this will be a two-part event since there'll be a great many things taking place.

You might notice the brief Yeager family reference from _Age of Extinction_ , along with a reference to Charlotte Mearing from _Dark of the Moon_. Tessa and Shane are young siblings here.

The meat of the chapter is the first encounter between Optimus Prime and Thunderwing and the latter holding his own against the Autobots. I also made the decision of giving Thunderwing the alternate form of a dragon, which is a nod to the Transformers: Prime version of Predaking.

Finally… HE'S BACK. Megatron officially makes his return, who is now sporting his Transformers: Prime appearance. As you may have guessed, this also marks the final appearance of Galvatron.

Stay tuned for the second half of this two-part event and don't forget to review. Peace out.


	13. Rebirth Pt II

Disclaimer: Here's part two of the big event. Better brace yourselves for a HUGE shocker.

I don't own the rights to Transformers; I just do it better than Michael Bay! ZING!

* * *

Chapter XIII

Chip Chase came through the Ground Bridge with an unprecedented sense of urgency. Marissa, Carly, Daniel and Verity were waiting for him with Brainstorm. Spike was the only one not present as he was still in the comm. tower with Cerebros. But Chip was aware of a serious problem the instant he arrived. Somehow, he knew it wasn't just the Harbinger's arrival at the Golden Gate Bridge.

"The President's asking a lot of questions and I'm fresh out of answers. Someone better fill me in." Chip said just as he took his place beside Marissa.

"I've managed to tap into the CCTV cameras around the bridge," Brainstorm said and brought up a series of video feeds on Talatraan II, all live. "There's Ultra Magnus and his team providing assistance for the human authorities." He pointed to a live feed that featured Ultra Magnus.

"Dammit, I should be there. I could've helped coordinate the evacuation." Marissa cursed out.

"Is that the ship that destroyed the lunar outpost," Chip asked, pointing to another live feed of the _Harbinger_ hovering above the bridge. Then he noticed the three individual machines on the bridge itself. "Brainstorm, zoom in on the lower left quadrant."

Brainstorm did as instructed and typed rapidly on the console. The video zoomed in the designated quadrant in short order and just enough for the humans to make out the three forms on the screen. One was easily recognized as Optimus Prime, while another was a complete unknown. The unknown machine sported a silver, green and purple color scheme and a set on large wings. But that wasn't what caught Chip's attention. The third that stood between Optimus Prime and the unknown machine was silver and purple with a large cannon on its right arm. All the blood drained from his face.

"Oh my God." he said.

"Is that who I think it is?" Carly asked, equally in shock.

Of the humans, only Verity was the one most in the dark. "Daniel, what's happening?"

Daniel was just as shocked as everyone else. "He's back."

"Who? Who's back?" Verity asked.

Daniel looked at Verity with wide-eyed disbelief. "Megatron."

* * *

It was difficult to believe. It was even bordering on the sheer impossible. But Optimus Prime wasn't looking at an illusion and he wasn't hallucinating. Megatron was standing right in front of him, newly remade in an upgraded form of his old body. He had the familiar helmet, the broad chassis and shoulders and legs and all of it had a more alien design. Even he signature fusion cannon was different with a more cylinder-like shape and dark purple shade. But this was definitely Megatron reborn, and the other Autobots were backing away from him like they would an outbreak of Cosmic Rust. Only Optimus Prime stood his ground against his old nemesis. Thunderwing simply looked on as the two rivals met for the first time since the siege of Autobot City.

"What troubles you, Optimus? You look as though you've see a ghost." Megatron said.

"How is this possible? You should not even be functional after our last encounter." Optimus Prime proclaimed while hiding that little hint of denial.

"And yet, here I stand before you. Seems you're not the only one who can come back from the dead," Megatron then looked toward the other Autobots and centered his gaze on Hotrod. "And you… I haven't forgotten the role you played when I killed your mentor."

Hotrod armed his crossbow and was ready to fight. "I'm not the same 'bot as back then, Megatron."

"Megatron, I do not know what Thunderwing did to you, but if there is any semblance of Galvatron left in you, then you know that the Autobots and Decepticons have the truce still in play." Optimus Prime declared.

"There is no Galvatron, Optimus Prime. And far as I'm concerned," Megatron deployed an arm blade just beneath the barrel of his cannon. "There _is_ no truce."

"Megatron, you do not have to do this." Optimus Prime said, even though he knew he wasn't going to get through to Megatron.

"You're right; I don't have to. But I WANT to."

Optimus Prime braced himself when Megatron charged forward, deploying his arm blades and taking a fighting stance. Megatron rushed in hard and tackled Optimus Prime to the asphalt and sent bits of it flying into the air. Momentum was on the side of Optimus Prime when he managed to flip Megatron over his head. They stood back up at the same time and locked blades and entered a immediate stalemate before backing away. Optimus looked back briefly. Thunderwing had vanished from view, but he was seen in his dragon form returning to the Harbinger. Why? Megatron moved in for the next attack, which Optimus managed to deflect and the fight was on.

Thunderwing returned to the Harbinger's hull where Tarantulas and Dark Steel were waiting. "Captain, are you sure it was a good idea turning Megatron loose?" she asked.

"I always have a contingency in place, Dark Steel," Thunderwing implied and glanced at Tarantulas, who returned the glance and twiddled his maw. "Anyway, let Megatron have his fun."

"And the rest of the Autobots?" Dark Steel asked and looked down the group below.

Thunderwing shared Dark Steel's gaze and replied, "Go introduce yourself."

Dark Steel considered her options of either staying back or engaging the Autobots below and opted for the latter. She bounded from the hull and transformed, taking on the form of another mythical animal from human folklore known as a griffin. With large wings, four bestial legs and an avian beak, Dark Steel took the sky and let out a high-pitched shriek that carried through the air. The shriek drew the attention of the Autobots while Optimus Prime and Megatron battled it out.

A bewildered Crosshairs asked, "What in the Pit is that thing?"

Before anyone could register an answer, Cyclonus drove his elbow into Breakaway's chassis to stagger him, and then sent him falling off the edge of the bridge. Crosshairs tried to react but Cyclonus reacted faster, tossing the hapless 'bot into Sunstreaker where they tumbled over each other. Arcee, Hotrod and Sideswipe opened fire, but Cyclonus was already transformed and airborne. That didn't stop the Autobots from trying to shoot him down before he could get away. But Dark Steel suddenly approached still in her griffin form and drew their attention upon landing in between them.

She transformed and spun while crouched, using her extended leg to sweep the three Autobots off their feet. Arcee was the first to rise and deploy her melee weapon, while Dark Steel did the same. But both Hotrod and Sideswipe quickly surrounded her, and they also deployed their melee weapons. Dark Steel didn't appear to be worried, and deployed a second melee weapon. Then she charged against all three of them.

* * *

Highbrow was high in the sky overlooking the far end of the bridge, using his built-in sensor to get the best view possible. Meanwhile, Jazz ferried several cars at a time into Ultra Magnus' cab and Triage assisted the San Francisco authorities in treating the wounded. Elita One and Bumblebee provided cover from any incidents that might have taken place as they worked.

" _Cerebros to ground team; Ultra Magnus, are you there?"_

Bumblebee was the Autobot to first respond. "Ultra Magnus is a little preoccupied, Cerebros. What is it?"

" _Brainstorm patched into the CCTV feeds, and you're not going to believe what he found."_ Cerebros replied over the comm.

"Try me." Bumblebee said. His wrist comm. beeped to life and he promptly activated it. He received real-time footage from CCTV cameras on the far end of the bridge. He froze.

Elita One noticed that Bumblebee had fallen silent from shock. "Bee, what is it? Bee?"

Instead of replying to Elita One, Bumblebee alerted Ultra Magnus. "Magnus, we've got a serious problem."

Ultra Magnus assumed his proto form to assess the situation when he looked to Bumblebee. "Whatever it is, I can't deal with it now, Bee."

Not waiting for Magnus to deal with it, Bumblebee said to him, "Magnus, it's Megatron. He's back; Megatron is alive."

"That's impossible, Bee." Elita One said after overhearing Bumblebee's statement. Then she believed once she saw the footage through his wrist comm.

"Look at this live footage and tell me it's impossible."

Ultra Magnus checked the footage on his wrist comm. and his circuits flared up. There was Megatron, newly reborn with an upgraded form, fighting Optimus Prime in what was a back and forth brawl. He also caught images of Hotrod, Arcee and Sideswipe fighting an unknown robot that was likely from the Harbinger. And they were losing. Before he could announce his next move, a taxi suddenly pulled up to the scene and a woman stormed out of the vehicle. Ultra Magnus looked and spotted the woman approaching the area and recognized her instantly. Things could get any worse.

Within seconds of seeing the Autobots there, Josie's first reaction was to find the commanding officer. But the sight of all this chaos was too much for her not to ignore. And, the Autobot's presence sent her into a rage as searched for the commanding officer. She found him in the forward operating area, where one of the Autobots, an orange and white one, was assisting the medical personnel. Josie pushed passed the soldiers on guard before they knew what happened.

"Are you the man in charge?" she bellowed.

Lt. Comm. Joyce turned and reacted to Josie's presence like any soldier did. "You shouldn't be here, miss. Staff Sargent, get this civilian out of here."

Josie quickly pulled away from the Staff Sargent. "I'm Lt. Josie Beller, US Military Science Division. These things are the ones who shouldn't be here."

The orange and white robot, Triage, was quick to provide a rebuttal against Josie. "In case you hadn't taken notice, we're here to help you humans against a threat from beyond your Solar System."

"The Autobots are here to help with the evacuation of civilians, Lt." Joyce pointed out.

Triage added, "Indeed, so you could stand to show a little bit of gratitude."

"Gratitude?! We don't ask for your goddamned help. All you aliens have ever done was cause death, pain and misery and I'm sick and tired of it." Josie snapped without trying to hide her rage.

"That's enough. Staff Sargent, escort Lt. Beller out of here." Joyce ordered.

The Staff Sargent, a young man of Josie's age, took the woman by her arm and said, "Come with me, ma'am."

Josie took a couple of steps back before she suddenly shoved the soldier to the side and grabbed his rifle at the same time. Then she bolted right through the forward operating area while giving no thought to the soldiers trying to stop her. The Autobots were just as unprepared for Josie sudden sprint as she ran passed Ultra Magnus and Triage. Jazz tried to stop her but lost sight of her in the sea of abandons cars.

"What in the Pit is she thinking?"

"Jazz, go after her. She's going to get herself killed." Ultra Magnus said.

"Keep me posted on any changes, Magnus." Then Jazz was gone.

* * *

Breakaway was lucky to be hanging onto the side of the bridge after Cyclonus ambushed him and he started to make his climb back up. By the time he made it to solid ground, he saw Hotrod, Arcee and Sideswipe engaged with Dark Steel. Dark Steel was winning the fight, singlehandedly beating back the three Autobots with little effort at all. Breakaway looked passed that fight toward the bigger one; the one between Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Optimus Prime was thrown onto a parked car that collapsed under his weight and moved when Megatron came at him. The car was sliced in half by Megatron's arm blade while Optimus Prime righted himself and charged. He tried for a trusting stab that Megatron sidestepped, and then blocked an overhead swipe before kicking Megatron back. Retracting his blades, Optimus Prime punched Megatron in the face and chassis and staggered him briefly, and the final punch sent Megatron into a spiral.

Megatron recovered and quickly aimed his fusion cannon and fired a shot. Optimus Prime dodged the oncoming blast and watched dissipate into nothing, then deployed his rifle and fired back. Megatron ducked to the side and the shot slammed into an SUV, blowing it apart. Megatron recovered punch Optimus in the faceplate, staggering him, and then pressed his attack and put Optimus on the defense. He landed a few more vicious blows before Optimus final caught his left arm. Optimus controlled Megatron's movement and took him down with a sweep. Megatron literally flipped and landed face first on the pavement.

Optimus Prime backed away before Megatron to sweep him down and the two reached a stalemate. "You haven't lost your touch, Optimus."

"The same could be said of you, Megatron." Optimus Prime replied.

"I've had a good deal of practice in that… _other_ persona, while you've been absent. Do you remember what I told you when last we battled?" Megatron said to Optimus Prime.

"This is a conflict that does not need to happen, Megatron," Optimus Prime claimed and pointed toward the Harbinger hovering overhead. "The true enemy stands atop the _Harbinger_ , a Decepticon ship… _**your**_ ship. Thunderwing is a very real threat to both our kind and all of humanity."

"SHUT UP," Megatron shouted and fired a shot from his fusion cannon, which Optimus Prime managed to avoid. The ensuing explosion vaporized several cars behind them. "You think I care about what happens to humanity or about Thunderwing's derange obsession with some make believe relic? The one and only thing that is of any concern to me is that I finish what I started long ago… BY CRUSHING YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS."

Megatron charged directly toward Optimus Prime, who in turn charged straight for Megatron. They bellowed two mighty battle cries and then threw a single punch to each other. They landed the blows to the face of their foe, driving themselves back. Then they recovered and Megatron threw a punch. Optimus blocked the punch and returned the blow, knocking Megatron back. More heavy blows followed and staggered Megatron back further toward the side of the bridge. Optimus tried to land one more punch but Megatron caught his fist in his hand.

A head-butt staggered Optimus before Megatron pushed him down with a straight kick. Optimus dropped for less than a second, more than enough time for Megatron to close the distance between them. Megatron landed a series of blows to Optimus Prime's face and chassis before taking him down with a throw. Optimus Prime landed shoulder first but he recovered and landed a haymaker, again staggering Megatron. Optimus tackled Megatron to the asphalt and pinned him there, and they wrestled for control.

At the same time, the other Autobots were losing a battle against Dark Steel. She was dominating Hotrod, Sideswipe and Arcee all the same time. She tossed Sideswipe over her head when he tried to land a blow. Then, she took Hotrod down with a leg-scissors. Arcee managed to land a few kicks but Dark Steel recovered faster than what was expected. Dark Steel grabbed hold of Arcee by her leg and tossed her into Sideswipe. Hotrod went after Dark Steel and tried to land a series of punches, but Dark Steel seemed to flow around them. She caught Hotrod in the jaw and then dropped him with a roundhouse kick.

Shots were fired her way. Crosshairs and Sunstreaker sent laser blasts toward her to slow her down. Dark Steel extended her wings and deflected the blasts. She retracted wings and deployed her own ranged weapon and fired on the two Autobots. Sunstreaker avoided the laser fire but Crosshairs was caught in the leg by a stray shot. Crosshairs dropped to a knee and saw Dark Steel standing over him, with a bladed weapon pointed straight down on him.

Then Breakaway jumped in out of nowhere and tackled Dark Steel to the ground. They tumbled and righted themselves and stared optic to optic. Dark Steel transformed into her griffin form and took off into the sky. Breakaway launched himself into the air, transformed and followed Dark Steel. They traveled up high and flew passed the Harbinger's bow where Thunderwing and Tarantulas were standing. Thunderwing looked back down toward the bridge and went back to watching the fight he wanted to see.

As all the madness was taking place, Josie was slowly making her way toward the ongoing and literal street fight between Megatron and Optimus Prime. She hid behind an open car door and watched the two aliens beat each other with neither gaining an advantage. Switching the safety on her stolen rifle, Josie slunk between any abandoned car she could find and stayed out of sight. She looked back. That other alien was likely behind her somewhere, hiding in plain sight like some unearthly coward. Josie moved closer and waited for the right moment to intervene.

Megatron sent Optimus Prime to the ground and pounded on his face over and over again with all the unchecked aggression that had welled up inside of him. Optimus Prime recovered and forced Megatron back with a hard blow to the head, sending Megatron rolling to the ground. Optimus was upright before Megatron could react and drove his knee into his face. The blow stunned Megatron, allowing Optimus Prime to literally lift Megatron off his feet and drive him back down into the ground.

Optimus punched Megatron repeatedly in the face before Megatron kicked him back. Soon both were standing again and both landed heavy blows to each other back-to-back. Megatron landed a straight, clenched fist and then Optimus replied with a heavy back handed blow followed a hard right cross. Megatron responded with haymaker followed by a straight kick, staggering Optimus. Optimus recoiled with an uppercut that rocked Megatron. They each went for another punch and they each caught the others attempted blow, and then their hands were clasped together in a stalemate. They growled and hollowed as they struggled for controlled.

Meanwhile, Breakaway was locked in a dogfight with Dark Steel and taking every available pot shot he could take. Dark Steel shrieked as she barreled around the gunfire, and then dove down toward the bridge. She passed and kept diving before banking back up and flying underneath. Breakaway tried to follow but he stall and was forced to transform and hover above the bay. Dark Steel, in robot form, surprised him and tackled him before taking him back up. They struggled for control before Dark Steel kicked Breakaway back and transformed again.

Still in his robot form, Breakaway fired at the griffin but couldn't get a strike on her. Dark Steel came right at him faster than he expected, briefly gazing him. She had to have used a bladed weapon, or maybe her wings _were_ the weapons. Either way, Breakaway was left with a visible gash in his chassis. Dark Steel climbed straight up to the sky and disappeared in the clouds. Then she came back down and transformed at the last second, slamming her fist into Breakaway's face. The blow stunned Breakaway for a short time before he was able to recover. He could hear Dark Steel screeching and she climbed up high again.

But then he noticed something about the pattern; he'd seen it before, a long time. He remembered only one individual who pulled that dive-bombing maneuver off and as far as he knew, she was already dead. But then Dark Steel pulled off the same move and slammed into Breakaway's face and climbed back up again. Breakaway knew it couldn't be an illusion and when Dark Steel for the third strike, he moved at the last moment. Dark Steel panicked and tried to strike while coming back up, but it was Breakaway who stopped her. When he looked her dead in the optics, he knew who she was… who she used to be.

"Tempest?"

Dark Steel froze in place, unsure what to make of this Autobot who spoke a name she didn't recognize. So why did it sound familiar? She kicked Breakaway back and they hovered in the air for a long time, at which point images began flooding through Dark Steel's mind. Why in the galaxy did this Autobot address in such away? Breakaway made a move and Dark Steel clipped him with a shot to his shoulder.

"Who in the Pit is Tempest?" Then she took off and out of sight, leaving Breakaway stunned beyond belief.

Back on the bridge, Optimus Prime and Megatron were still locked in their struggle. But it was Optimus Prime who was winning despite Megatron fighting furiously to regain his ground. Without warning, shots were fired on both of them. Josie was making her move, firing her rifle at both Transformers. The distraction bought Megatron the time he needed and he drove his knee into Optimus Prime's chassis before tossing him to the ground.

Josie moved in and sprayed a barrage of gunfire on Megatron, then at Optimus Prime and then Megatron again. For a split second, she glanced back. Jazz was approaching and trying to get to her. She spun and fired on him as well. She didn't care which alien she shot as long as she shot them. Jazz took the gunfire to his chassis and his arm when he blocked while moving closer to Josie. Josie was blinded by so much rage that she didn't see Megatron rising up behind her. Megatron aimed his cannon at her before his raised it fired at Jazz. Jazz barely managed to duck out of the way. Megatron fired at the other Autobots and sent them scattering, and then he turned his attention to the human.

Optimus Prime tackled Megatron down at the last second and they tumbled to the ground, but Megatron still fired his cannon albeit involuntarily. The shockwave jarred an electrical cable loose and it landed in a pool of car fluid, right beside Josie. She saw at had no time to move. The electrical current that followed engulf her, and she scream in the most agonizing way. The scream drew the attention of Optimus Prime, who watched in horror as Josie collapsed.

Optimus Prime flew into a rage and he hoisted Megatron up and he began brutally pounding him. Megatron tried to fight back but Optimus Prime proved far more relentless than ever before he tossed him across the way to the side of the bridge. Megatron tried to recover, while Optimus Prime readied his rifle, and this moment was suddenly eerily similar to their last battle when they were both near death. Just as Optimus was close, Megatron slashed his chassis with a broken shard, sending a jolt through Optimus Prime's chassis. It was another call back to their last fight. Megatron kicked Optimus Prime back and put him down on all fours and then brought the shard up.

"I told you, Optimus, that I'd finish what I started. It's over." Megatron declared and brought shard up over his head. Then Megatron was stunned by a surge of energy that was involuntary.

He dropped to his knees and dropped the shard to the ground and only then did Thunderwing appear standing between the fallen foes. "You've done your part, Megatron. Now, return to the _Harbinger_ and await further orders."

Megatron felt the agonizing jolt surge through his body as he looked at Thunderwing with pure anger. "What… what have you done to me?"

"Return to the _Harbinger_. Now!" Thunderwing demanded, and Megatron was jolt again before he transformed and flew off toward the ship.

"What have you done to him?" Optimus demanded.

Thunderwing carefully pushed Optimus to his back and replied, "A little failsafe to keep him under control, but that's not the issue here. I need you alive so that you can tell me where to find the Star Saber. So, where is it?"

When Optimus refused to answer, Thunderwing placed his foot across his neck. "If I knew, I would not tell you, Thunderwing."

"You have to tell me, do you understand that? You need to tell me or I'll tear this entire planet apart to find it. Now, tell me."

"Never!" Optimus Prime snarled.

Thunderwing sneered and deployed duel-edged arm blade, holding the point of the blade to Optimus Prime's face. Before the killing blow could be delivered, Thunderwing was suddenly peppered by laser fire. Hotrod was charging forward with reckless intent, striking Thunderwing and varying points of his chassis. Thunderwing backed away from Optimus Prime before Hotrod closed the distance. Hotrod deployed his blades and attacked Thunderwing with relentless fervor, buying Optimus Prime time to recover. But when Hotrod looked back to check on Optimus, for a moment, Thunderwing struck back and slammed his fist into Hotrod's face.

Hotrod was rocked and hoisted up off his feet, and Thunderwing began beating him mercilessly and right in front of Optimus Prime. The other Autobots were up and ready to make their move, but Thunderwing made his move first. He spun Hotrod and held his arm around his neck, forcing him to face Optimus Prime and the Autobots and forcing them to halt their advance.

"I take no pleasure in this, Optimus, but I will do what has to be done. Tell me where the Star Saber is hidden."

"Just… shoot him, Optimus." Hotrod said.

Optimus Prime was on one knee. "Let him go, Thunderwing."

"Tell me, now!" Thunderwing demanded.

Hotrod drove his elbow into the chassis of Thunderwing in an attempt to break free or at least give the Autobots an opening to shoot. But it was no use and then… he felt something sharp going threw his back. The next thing he knew, a sharp blade pierced his chassis. Hotrod looked down and saw the blade just as it vanished. Then it returned through his chassis a second and disappeared, only to return a third time. A forth time. A fifth time.

The Autobots, Optimus Prime and Arcee especially, watched in horror as Thunderwing ran Hotrod through over and over again. The final blade pierced through before Thunderwing finally stopped his assault and allowed Hotrod to fall to his knees. The look on his face told the story. Thunderwing, for all intents and purposes, showed no remorse. He transformed into his dragon form and flew back to the Harbinger. Hotrod finally dropped to the ground and Arcee rushed to his side and turned him over. Optimus Prime followed but the other Autobots were too stunned to react.

"Hotrod, Hotrod, talk to me. Say something…" Arcee begged and pleaded, but Hotrod was seemingly catatonic in her arms.

Optimus Prime fell to his knees and took Hotrod's hand in his own. "It will be alright, Hotrod. We will…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say or do for the first time in his life.

Hotrod finally replied, "Hurts more… than I thought."

"We'll get help. We'll… Triage? Triage, where the blazes are you?" Arcee said into her comm.

"Optimus…" Hotrod said.

"I am here, Hotrod. What you did…"

"I know… it was stupid. But it's something you would've done." Hotrod stated, and Optimus knew he was right.

"Yes, it was."

Hotrod was fading when he told Optimus Prime, "Get them for me. Promise me."

Optimus, shocked and horrified, replied, "I promise."

Hotrod smiled at Optimus and Arcee before his optics dimmed. Soon after, he shut down in Arcee's arms. Arcee broke down and cradled Hotrod, while Optimus Prime stood up so slowly that time went still. He walked slowly passed the stunned Autobots, all of them watching Arcee holding Hotrod's body tightly. Optimus Prime wondered to the side of the bridge and looked up at the sky. The Harbinger was already halfway away from the bridge passing over the bay. His hands were balled up into fists. He felt something that was alien to him most times; anger, rage, fury and all of it was directed at one being.

"Thunderwing," he whispered. Then he finally exploded. "THUNDERWING!"

* * *

Author's note: That's a wrap for the two-part Rebirth event, and the UNTHINKABLE has happened. Actually, a lot of the unthinkable happened.

First, Optimus Prime and Megatron fought it out like they hadn't lost a beat, which isn't bad for two formerly dead robots. Or, well Megatron was never truly dead but I digress…

Josie gets involved and tries to fight the aliens herself, and it doesn't end well for her. Jazz trying to catch is a slight callback to the comics. I think.

Now for the shockers; first, Breakaway and Dark Steel engage in a dogfight and Breakaway comes to believe that Dark Steel… is Tempest? How is that possible?

Finally, and most shocking and maybe even heartbreaking; Hotrod has been SLAIN. What does that mean for the rest of the story? You'll have to review to learn more.


	14. Prayers For The Wounded

Disclaimer: Another day, another chapter. On top of that, it's Labor Day. Good timing, right?

Anyway, I do not own the right to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XIV

The Ground Bridge burst open and the Autobots returned from their mission in San Francisco. Their human allies, Brainstorm and Cerebros saw the toll that was taken. Everyone that was on the mission came through the portal with a dejected look on his or her face. Some of them, like Ultra Magnus, Elita One and Triage, maintained a calm demeanor, but most of them displayed visages of pain, fear or sorrow, especially Arcee. Then they all saw why. Optimus Prime was the last Autobot to come through the portal carrying Hotrod in his arms. The shock of everyone present was so apparent as Optimus Prime walked passed.

Of all of them, Daniel was the most shocked. Hotrod was his best friend, in fact, he was the closest Daniel had to a brother. That bond extended to after Hotrod became Rodimus Prime and then back to Hotrod. And now, Hotrod was motionless in Optimus Prime's arms. Daniel felt weak in the knees and collapsed to the floor with Verity barely able to catch him. Carly and Spike tried to comfort their son as Triage led Optimus Prime to the infirmary and out of sight.

Cerebros approached Ultra Magnus and Elita One, who bowed his head down in silence and shock. "What happened out there?"

Ultra Magnus and Elita One couldn't provide an answer, but Arcee, her face slowly contorting into one of anger, replied, "Thunderwing happened."

Then Arcee stormed away toward the infirmary with Daniel and Verity following her. Then Brainstorm proclaimed, "There's no sign of the _Harbinger_ , Magnus. By all rights, they must've returned outside of Earth's atmosphere and making it difficult to track."

"Keep trying, Brainstorm. We have to find these invaders put an end to their schemes," Ultra Magnus said before he studied the area and noticed something was wrong. "Where's Breakaway?"

The Autobots turned back and noticed that Breakaway was nowhere to be seen, and Sideswipe claimed, "He was right behind me."

Ultra Magnus exchanged a wary glance with Elita One before the latter tapped her comm. "Elita One to Breakaway, what's your current location? Breakaway," There was nothing but static. "Nothing."

Ultra Magnus tapped his comm. "Breakaway, come in," he said and received no response. "Cerebros, can you track him?"

"I've been to reach him trying but no such luck. Either he's turned off his communicator or he's off planet." Cerebros implied.

"Keep trying. None of us are losing any more friends." Ultra Magnus stated.

* * *

At a medical center in San Francisco, doctors worriedly wheeled a gurney through the hallway. On the gurney laid Josie Beller. She was critically injured according to the doctors. Her body was covered with heavy burns and her clothes were in shreds. Somehow, she was still breathing albeit barely, and the doctors placed a respirator over her face. She opened her eyes, one bloodshot, and tried to get an idea of her surroundings. She barely saw the bright light of the hallway ceiling whisking by and thought for a moment that she was dying right there. But she knew otherwise when the doctors wheeled her into the Intensive Care Unit.

There, the doctors hoisted her onto the medical bed and started going over the details and injuries of their patient. Josie was listening to their description of her; Caucasian female, early to mid 30's and electrical scarring on seventy percent of her body. Josie wanted to move. She knew her limbs were still driven by her thoughts. But she was weak from whatever ordeal led up to her current predicament as the doctors started to attend to her. Josie was starting to slip away into unconsciousness.

As the doctors worked to stabilize Josie, the man who had been following her since they'd left Washington DC, peered through the windows. One of the doctors slid a cover across the length of the ICU doors, blocking the man's view. He backed away from the doors before pulling out a phone.

"Sir, Beller is being cared for at California Pacific Medical. How do you want me to proceed?"

" _ **Keep her in sight for time being. We've recovered the Technobots from her warehouse and are moving across the country as we speak. We'll still need her talents to get them operational."**_

"Sir, Beller has been significantly injured. She may not live through the night."

" _ **Then make sure she does. She… able asset… nore…**_ " the call suddenly cut out.

The lights flickered in the hall, drawing the confused attention of the man and everyone around him, while inside the ICU, the doctors were just as confused. Josie was the only one not reacting. But her hands were balled up into fists and there were subtle indications that she was dreaming. Of what, the doctors didn't know and concluded the flickering of lights to be mere coincidence. There was no way they could've known that their current patient was the cause. Her eyes opened briefly and unseen sparks of electricity jolted along the irises. Josie Beller was becoming someone else… _something_ else.

* * *

His optics flickered on and the first thing he saw Tarantulas staring back at him with a cruel gaze. Megatron instinctively lunged for the mad scientist but his arms and legs were bound to the operating table by the shackles. Tarantulas merely smirked and continued his work, although with his maw it was difficult for Megatron to tell if he was smirking and smiling or anything. All Megatron did know was that he badly to rend Tarantulas limb from limb. Then Thunderwing appeared in front of Megatron, displaying a more indifferent expression and Megatron desperately wanted to do to him what he nearly did to Optimus Prime.

"You look rather upset, Megatron. I thought you'd be grateful to be your old self again." Thunderwing exclaimed.

"Remove these shackles and I'll show you grateful." Megatron snarled and struggled against his shackles.

"Well, he is a work in progress." Tarantulas commented with looking from the monitor.

Megatron ignored Tarantulas and focused every bit of his rage toward Thunderwing. "I had Optimus Prime defeated. I had at my mercy, ready to crush him all over again with my bare hands. You took that away from me."

"And they call me obsessed," Thunderwing mused out loud before returning his own gaze to Megatron. "The decision to destroy Optimus Prime was never yours to make, Megatron. You see I need him alive so that he can tell me the location of the Star Saber. And, I can't afford to have a loose cannon running roughshod."

"You haven't seen a loose cannon, Thunderwing. Now release me." Megatron demanded.

"Or what? You'll get mad, throw a temper tantrum? Let me make something perfectly clear: the _Harbinger_ is _my_ ship, which means its crew entertains _my_ preferences no questions asked. You're part of the crew now, Megatron, which means you will also entertain my preferences. Am I clear?"

Megatron continued to struggle against his bonds and had every intention ripping into Thunderwing. Then he stopped struggling and smiled. "I pity you."

"Why's that?"

"You have such a sad devotion to finding a lost relic that it blinds you to everything else. It will be your downfall, Thunderwing. Be certain of that."

Thunderwing smirked and replied," You'd know, wouldn't you?"

 _"Wingspan and Pounce to Thunderwing..."_

"What is it?" Thunderwing asked, turning away from Megatron.

" _We've picked up an energon signature moving through the ship and all other crew members are presently at their stations."_ Wingspan declared.

"A stowaway?" Thunderwing concluded.

" _Very likely, Captain, and we have a location. The intruder is in the docking area."_ Pounce reported.

"Have Apeface and Snapdragon meet me at that location," Thunderwing reported and turned back to Megatron. "Looks like we've got us a little stowaway; should be interesting."

Then Thunderwing stormed out of the infirmary, leaving Megatron to scowl at Tarantulas. Tarantulas claimed, "You'll thanks us one cycle."

"Not if I kill you first." Megatron quietly claimed.

* * *

"What the scrap was I thinking?" Breakaway asked himself while he hid behind some docking equipment.

It all happened so fast that it seemed like Blur was running circles around Breakaway over and over again. Breakaway was glad Blur wasn't around, otherwise he'd have been blabbing nonstop until they were caught. His thoughts trailed on back to the moment when he was engaged in an aerial dance of death with Dark Steel, the female Transformer that shifted into a griffin and flew like an ultra-fast fighter jet. Her patterns were familiar to Breakaway. They were identical to Tempest's, but she was dead. At least, that was what Breakaway thought.

Tempest died trying to retrieve the Matrix of Leadership, only to be murdered by a Fallen-possessed Prowl. Then she was reanimated into a Darkened monstrosity by the Fallen, and Breakaway had to put her out of her misery. Her chassis was disintegrated in a funeral soon after. Tempest was gone. Her Spark was at rest. Yet, Breakaway was convinced that Dark Steel actually was Tempest, reborn in a new body and working for Thunderwing. Was it possible and if so, why didn't she remember? Or, was Breakaway becoming paranoid?

A faint sound in the other end of the hanger startled Breakaway and sent him scurrying into another hiding spot. Peering around the corner, he caught sight of a shadowy figure stumbling through the hanger. If the figure caught sight of him, he was going to fight, and if he didn't make it, he'd go down fighting. Another sound, louder than the first, drew the attention of both Breakaway and the figure. Three more figured emerged bathed in a blue hue. Breakaway instantly recognized the center figure to be Thunderwing. The two flanking each side of him were unknown.

Then Breakaway saw the second figure; it was Cyclonus, and he'd hidden himself behind some crates. Cyclonus spotted Breakaway and sneered at him, a look that Breakaway returned. Cyclonus turned his attention to the three intruders entering the hanger. The two flanking ones fanned out on the orders of the third, stepping along two adjacent paths opposite of each other. Apeface inched closer to Breakaway's position, prompting the Autobot to prepare for a fight. But long before that, a loud commotion drew attention to Cyclonus.

Cyclonus was discovered and trying to fight against the second one before the first one intervened. Within moment, Cyclonus was outmatched and the two crewmembers beat him down. Thunderwing approached as Apeface and Snapdragon wailed on Cyclonus. The trio was unaware that in the commotion, Breakaway snuck out of the hanger and into the corridor. Thunderwing looked back for a split second and saw nothing and turned back to Cyclonus.

"Who else is here?" he asked, but Cyclonus didn't reply. He slunk down to meet the captive Decepticon optic to optic. "Look, you haven't any reason to protect whoever else might be on board my ship and…."

"This is _not_ your ship. The _Harbinger_ is Decepticon property." Cyclonus snapped in defiance.

"Well, considering that there are no Decepticons on board, I think that statement to be an invalid one. Now, who else is on _my_ ship?" Thunderwing asked.

But instead of providing an answer, Cyclonus asked back, "What have you done with Galvatron?"

"I think you mean Megatron," Thunderwing claimed as he stood upright and addressed Apeface and Snapdragon. "Pick him up. Bring him to the infirmary."

"What about the other intruder? They have to be somewhere onboard." Snapdragon asked in a raspy tone.

Thunderwing tapped his comm. "Dark Steel, we've captured one intruder but there's likely another roaming the ship. I want you and the Terrorcons patrolling all corridors until you find them, and then bring them to me."

" _Understood, Captain."_ Dark Steel replied over the comm.

Meanwhile, Breakaway found his way to an out of sight corner and peered around it. He watched Thunderwing lead his two henchmen out of the hanger, and both were dragging Cyclonus along with them. Despite Cyclonus' alignment, Breakaway was tempted to rush in and save him; if only to beat him down personally. But Breakaway was smarter than that and he doubted if the role had been reversed that Cyclonus had come to his aid. So, he waited until they were out of sight before making his move. With some luck, he'd find some way of notifying Optimus Prime… and that was on the assumption that luck was on his side. Breakaway doubted it.

* * *

Triage studied every aspect, however minimal or miniscule, of the damage to Hotrod, while Optimus Prime watched silently and Arcee paced restlessly about. Daniel and Verity were present, the latter assisting Triage in monitoring Hotrod's vitals. Verity wasn't entirely sure of she believed in miracles, but somehow against all odds, Hotrod was still alive. He'd suffered extensive damage to several of his more vital functions, but he was alive. Triage quickly surmised from his initial scans that Hotrod was in stasis lock. But as he examined further, it was clear that the damage was far worse than he wanted to admit. Verity knew that all too well.

"What is the prognosis, doctor?" Optimus Prime asked while he masked an enormous sense of concern.

Triage had to smooth over the reply, but he knew it wouldn't go as planned. "I wish I had better news; Hotrod is in stasis lock now, but the damage is far more extreme than I'd originally feared."

"Can you repair him, Triage? "Arcee asked.

"I don't know, Arcee. As I said, Hotrod is in stasis lock and his few remaining functions are being rerouted to his own self repair." Triage stated.

"You can't do anymore?"

"I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker. I can't simply speed up the recovery process with a snap of my fingers."

"Then maybe you're not doing your job, Triage." Arcee snapped, and she confronted Triage face to face.

Optimus Prime stepped in between them, putting his hands out to separate them before they came to blows. "Stop it, both of you. This infighting will do no more than exasperate the situation in ways we cannot afford."

"Optimus, Hotrod is lying here on the same table that you laid on when you…" Arcee trailed off before she finished.

"I am well aware of that moment, Arcee. But we face an enemy who is unknown to us, who has invaded our adopted home for reasons we cannot discern," Optimus Prime stated and turned to Triage. "Doctor, what is our worst case scenario?"

Triage backed away and returned to the table, monitoring Hotrod's vital along with Verity. "Hotrod is effectively comatose. Maybe with Brainstorm's assistance, we might be able to get a small few of Hotrod's functions back online. But if not… we may need to prepare for the worse."

Arcee shook her head in denial. "I can't accept that. I won't." Then she left the infirmary.

Optimus Prime didn't try to stop Arcee, instead telling Triage, "Do what ever you can, Triage. And if it comes to it, I and the rest of the Autobots will do what must be done."

Then as Optimus Prime prepared to leave, Triage said, "Optimus, I fully understood the bond you share with Hotrod, and, just in case, I want to tell you that… I am sorry."

Optimus Prime simply and solemnly replied, "Understood." Then he departed the infirmary.

Stepping out of the infirmary, Optimus Prime took to wandering the halls alone. No other Autobots were present to speak with him and in a strange way, he actually preferred the solace. It offered the opportunity to consider his next move or matters that happened to be far more personal to him and him alone. In this case, Optimus Prime was considering the more personal of matters. He couldn't bring himself to admit it to the Autobots that followed him; he was angry. For the first time in his entire existence, the normally compassionate and noble Optimus Prime was angry.

It frightened him. It seemed to gnaw away at him like the Cancer disease did humans. Optimus Prime had never felt such anger before, never experience such burning rage or been so frightened of it. Not even when the Decepticons blitzed the city did Optimus ever feel what he was feeling. When fought Megatron for what he'd thought then would be the last time, he wasn't angry. When he lay on his deathbed, passing over Matrix, he wasn't afraid. But now, he was feeling things that were as alien to him as the Transformers once were to humanity.

Then everything around Optimus seemed to fade away into nothing but pure darkness. He tried to look around but saw nothing. Almost immediately after he turned back around, Optimus saw that he wasn't in Autobot City anymore. In fact, he wasn't even on Earth anymore. He was home: back on Cybertron. Everything was different; this wasn't the Cybertron that was ravaged by countless ages of war.

 _((This was Cybertron during the Golden Age and, as he gazed onto his hands, Optimus Prime realized that he wasn't Optimus Prime anymore. He looked to a reflective surface on a nearby structure and saw himself as Orion Pax. He tried to fathom what had just happen and to determine how and why and as he did, he turned around. Alpha Trion was there, and he too looked as he once did during the Golden Age. Optimus, or Orion, approached Alpha Trion._

" _What is this?" Orion asked, and he noted the change of tone in his voice was youthful once more._

" _You need not be alarmed, Optimus. What you see before you is a projection of what once was and, perhaps in the future, can be again."_

" _Why? Why show me this," Orion asked, but Alpha Trion didn't answer. "I am conflicted, Alpha Trion, more so than I have ever been."_

" _We've all had those moments. We've had moments where our emotions have contradicted our beliefs. It makes us no different than the humans you've sworn to protect. No doubt, it has come at far greater costs than you'd hoped."_

 _Orion was unsure of Alpha Trion's words, but he somehow knew there was some truth to them. "I feel… anger. I feel hatred for the one that threatened the planet I have grown to love, who took from me the one Autobot that one I have long considered a son. And, I fear that I cannot control that anger."_

" _Then perhaps it's time that you stopped trying to control it." Alpha Trion stated, further confusing Orion._

" _But if do not control my emotions, then I may become no better than Thunderwing or Megatron. I cannot possibly take such a risk."_

 _And yet, you run a greater risk of feeling nothing at all. You might believe emotion to be a detriment, but it can also be your greatest strength. If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it, then you could be strong enough to wield the Primes greatest weapon."_

" _The Star Saber," Orion Pax said. "I need to find it."))_

Reality returned to normal, and Optimus Prime was himself once more. Alpha Trion was gone again, but the encounter was still fresh in his thoughts. Now, he knew what he needed to do. The Star Saber needed to be found, and Optimus Prime needed to find it first… before Thunderwing. For Hotrod's sake.

* * *

She felt someone else in the room, someone who shouldn't have been there. She struggled to open her eyes, but only one did. The other was either swollen shut or no longer in its socket. She was hoping for the former. Once she opened her still working eye, she saw him. The man that had been following her since they left DC was standing directly over her. Looming like silent shadow, he'd been watching and studying the damage done to her; done to her by the Transformers.

Josie remembered everything, every single agonizing moment when she tried to fight the Transformers on the bridge. She was heedless of the danger presented to her. Then she was nearly killed and now she was laying in a hospital bed clinging to life. The Transformers put her here. This was their fault; she hated them. She hated all of them.

"I need you to calm down." the man said to Josie, stoic and indifferent.

"Who… who are you?" Josie managed to ask.

"My name doesn't matter, but I represent a mutual acquaintance who still has need of your services. We have your Technobots at a secure location and we need you to complete your work."

"Look at me," Josie demanded of the man. "Do I look like I'm in any shape to go anywhere?"

"Everything will be fine." the man claimed before he placed a white rag over Josie's face.

The effect was instantaneous from the moment the rage touched Josie nose and her mouth. The smell of chloroform seeped into her nostril and she couldn't fight even if she wanted. While she was being assault, the lights in the room briefly flickered on and off. It wasn't enough to distract the man and he hadn't noticed. Josie was losing consciousness and eventually, everything around her went black.

* * *

Author's Note: That's another chapter done. After the events of the previous chapter, it was time to regroup and slow things down.

I might've been lying just a teenie-tiny little bit about Hotrod's fate. I will say nothing, so lets keep the speculation to a minimum. Regardless, everyone is feeling the effects and that includes Optimus Prime and Arcee.

Speaking of Optimus Prime, his latest interaction with Alpha Trion took some slight inspiration from X-Men: Days Of Future Past. He even very briefly reverted to his Orion Pax form.

Meanwhile, Breakaway stowed away onto the _Harbinger_ and poor Josie's day has gone from bad to worse. Nuff' said there. Let me know what you think thus far.


	15. Tools Of The Trade

Disclaimer: Another day, another chapter. It's getting longer and longer for me to get the chapter out with all the work I've been doing lately. I'm also brainstorming the eventual CAST chapter and the right touch of music to go with it.

Like always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XV

Breakaway was playing Hide-N'-Seek with the _Harbinger_ crew for an indeterminate amount of time and it was starting to weigh on him. Knowing that the corridors were now being patrolled made him think that his Hide-N'-Seek game was quickly turning into Seek-N'-Destroy. Before he'd gone on the run, he'd managed to overhear Thunderwing's message. Dark Steel, whom Breakaway thought might or might not be Tempest reborn, was leading the search. He was left conflicted; should he have given himself up just to see her and get answers or should he have kept hiding?

The latter of the two options was much more prudent, especially since Dark Steel wasn't the only one searching the ship for him. Breakaway had yet to encounter the Terrorcons, and his Spark told him he'd be wise to keep it that way. In that sense, he'd have been better off letting Dark Steel find him. At the very least, they'd have an exchange of words before one of them was left an oily stain on the floor.

Breakaway stopped short of a corner leading into the next corridor and peered around. He saw them; two grotesque-looking robot creatures surveying the area. One looked like some monstrous mole-thing and the other looked like a bipedal shark monster. If that was what two of the Terrorcons looked like, Breakaway didn't want to see the other. The mole creature raised its head and sniffed the air. Breakaway continued to hide at the corner, trying to figure out his next move. His only option was to continue down his current path, but those things would've seen him and killed him.

But maybe luck was on his side this time. He found a bolt, a bolt of all things, at his feet. He scooped it up and waited for the right moment to chuck it in the direction of the Terrorcons. He needed to be careful and make it count; one slip up and it was all over for him. The mole-thing looked away and Breakaway tossed the bolt as far as he could without giving himself away. The bolt flew over the heads of the Terrorcons and continued flying until it landed further away. The Terrorcons reacted to the sound and turned toward the source.

Breakaway took his chance and moved quickly across his current corridor where he disappeared into the adjacent corner. By the time the Terrorcons turned their gaze back toward the intersection, they saw nothing. Hidden from view, Breakaway took a moment to collect his thoughts. He was starting to think that stowing onto the _Harbinger_ was a bad idea. He had to find a way out and quickly. So he moved down the corridor, hoping he wouldn't encounter anyone else.

* * *

Apeface and Snapdragon dropped Cyclonus to the floor and when he looked up, he saw Megatron staring back at him from the operating table. "Galvatron? Is that you?"

"Do I look like Galvatron to you, you idiot?" Megatron snapped.

"How is this possible?" Cyclonus wondered out loud.

Thunderwing stepped forward. "You'd be surprised at the kinds of innovations that Tarantulas can achieve. Most of the ship's crewmembers are innovations, believe it or not."

"I aim to please." Tarantulas claimed while he worked at another table, and Cyclonus was even more shocked to see who was lying on said table.

"Sentinel Prime? How is he…"

"Alive? Not for much longer, I'm afraid. He's the least of your problems," Thunderwing stated and crouched down close to Cyclonus. "Now, I think I asked you before about the second intruder onboard the Harbinger."

Cyclonus glanced at Megatron, trying to gauge his thoughts while still trying to fathom how he was alive and functional. "You're right; there is someone else on this ship. And if you agree to release myself and Megatron, I'll tell you."

You'll tell me now and I'll release you both." Thunderwing countered.

Again, Cyclonus weighed his options. "He's a young Autobot named Breakaway."

"There! Was that so difficult?" Thunderwing asked and looked to Tarantulas. "Release Megatron."

"Are you sure that's a wise move, Captain?" Tarantulas asked.

"I gave him my word, doctor, and I'd prefer to keep it. Release Megatron, now."

Tarantulas did as he was told, operating the table controls to bring it to a horizontal position. The shackles released and Megatron slowly crawled off the table. He seemed unusually calm as he stood upright, but he sneered Thunderwing first and the Tarantulas and then Cyclonus. Cyclonus stood up beside Megatron against Thunderwing and Tarantulas, ready for the next move to take place. He was ready to claim the _Harbinger_ alongside Megatron. Then without warning, Megatron slammed the back of his fist into the face of Cyclonus to knock him down. Cyclonus recovered slowly and had no idea what hit him. Megatron loomed over him.

"Megatron? Why?"

Megatron planted his foot onto Cyclonus' chassis. "You allowed an Autobot onboard the _Harbinger_ , and you didn't kill him?"

"The situation was not in my favor." Cyclonus claimed, and it earned him a stomping from Megatron.

"You should've destroyed him when you had the chance. What sort of Decepticon are you?" Megatron stomped on Cyclonus a second time and then a third time.

Thunderwing and Tarantulas simply and casually stepped back as Megatron stomped on Cyclonus over and over again. That was just the beginning. Megatron hoisted Cyclonus upright and drove his fists into the saboteur's chassis. Every blow came hard and fast and every impact caused Cyclonus to actually spit out oil from his mouth. Megatron grasped Cyclonus' head and drove his fist into his face repeatedly and with the force of a jackhammer. Every blow that landed left dents and fractures.

Thunderwing and Tarantulas did nothing other than watch as Megatron administered a savage beating on his own subordinate for whatever reason. Thunderwing assumed that it was because, at least in according to Megatron, Cyclonus had allowed an Autobot onboard the Harbinger. Or maybe Megatron was unleashing pure frustration from being manipulate. In any case, Thunderwing continued to watch the massacre Megatron was heaping on Cyclonus. IT was almost over by then. Cyclonus dropped to the floor, beaten into submission and vaguely unrecognizable.

Megatron kicked Cyclonus onto his back so they exchanged glances, and Cyclonus asked, "What could I have done to deserve this?"

Megatron pinned his foot to Cyclonus' already battered chassis. "You know precisely what you've done, Cyclonus. By allowing a rogue Autobot to roam freely aboard this very ship, you've singlehandedly sullied the once-crown jewel of the Decepticon armada. And for what?"

"I only intended to come to you aid. I had no idea that the Autobot had followed me," Cyclonus claimed while Megatron pinned him down harder. "Please, have mercy. I beg of you."

Megatron removed his foot and sauntered away from Cyclonus. He stopped just inches from Thunderwing. "Mercy is for the weak, Cyclonus. And you have clearly proven yourself to be weak."

When Cyclonus saw Megatron raise his fusion cannon with the barrel pointed directly at him, he said out loud, "No, you wouldn't."

"Oh I would and I can… and I will."

"No…" Cyclonus protested as the violet beam of energy suddenly shot forth.

* * *

Breakaway continued his trek through the corridor when he heard it. It was an audible booming sound that seemed to echo throughout the entire ship. The sound forced Breakaway to stop dead in his track and spin around to look for the source. It sounded close and his instincts told him that Cyclonus was involved somehow. But staying put was the last thing Breakaway needed to be doing and he continued on down the corridor.

* * *

Cyclonus dropped to the floor in a heap of metal and wires and minus his head and left shoulder. Thunderwing and Tarantulas studied the remnants while Megatron looked at Thunderwing and quickly grasped his neck and torso. They struggled for a moment as Megatron carried Thunderwing into the wall and pinned him there. Tarantulas was about to make a move but Thunderwing motioned him to stand down. Megatron likely would've blasted Tarantulas in half like he'd just done to Cyclonus for whatever reason, but he wanted Thunderwing first and foremost. Now, he had him.

"Well, that was dramatic." Thunderwing quipped.

"That was target practice, but with you, I have every intention to rip your apart limb from limb. And then, I take back what is mine and mine alone." Megatron snapped and added pressure to his grasp.

"I don't think so, Megatron." Thunderwing said and seconds later, Megatron was assaulted by the same jolt of energy that hit him on Earth.

Megatron fell to the floor where he convulsed from the pain and sparks flew from his body. Every attempt to move anymore than an inch was accompanied by an agonizing jolt of energy than felt like it was internal. Thunderwing sauntered around Megatron as he struggled against the pain and appeared to be losing. He knelt down to Megatron's gaze, watching his crimson optics flicker on and off repeatedly. Megatron tried to make a grab for Thunderwing but the pain was too much for him to bear. Thunderwing displayed a mostly indifferent expression as he watched Megatron flail onto his back.

"Did you really think that I wanted him dead? Did you have some vague notion that you could gain my trust if you killed your own subordinate in front of me," Thunderwing asked as Megatron writhed. "I could've used someone like him. He would've made a fine addition to the crew."

Megatron made another attempt to grab hold of Thunderwing and his attempted was brushed aside. "I… I will… kill you."

"Keep struggling as much you like. Keep threatening me as much as you like. Ultimately, it won't make a whole lot of difference," Thunderwing inched closer to Megatron and with a mocking smirk said, "Your part of my crew now. You belong to me."

Megatron defiantly replied through the pain, "I belong… to nobody."

Thunderwing merely smirked and sauntered away from Megatron, allowing Apeface and Snapdragon to drag the fallen Decepticon back onto the table. Thunderwing stood over the half fragged corpse that was once Cyclonus and studied the damage done. He felt something within the wreckage and as he knelt down, he saw it. There was a flicker of blue light with the husk; it was a Spark. This lowly Decepticon was still alive somehow. Thunderwing thought this development to be a good one and as luck would have had it, he still had the Spark Extractor on him.

With Tarantulas standing beside him, Thunderwing plunged the relic down into the husk. In an instant, the Spark Extractor took hold of the Spark while being accompanied by a low hum. Then within a matter of moment, the Extractor did its job. The Spark was exposed, giving off a pulsating blue hue that lit the infirmary. Thunderwing looked back at the managed husk and kicked it before he turned to Tarantulas.

"He might still be of use in the long run. Can you make it so?" Thunderwing asked.

Tarantulas studied the Spark for a moment and appeared to smirk through his maw. "I think so. Do you remember though two husk we found on the moon rock?"

"You mean Charr? I remember; what of it?"

"I've been working on them for a time, mixing and matching and modifying them into one body and alternate form. All it needs is a Spark, and this one should do nicely."

"Then make it so, doctor," Thunderwing said and handed the Spark Extractor to Tarantulas. "There's always room on the _Harbinger_ for one more."

* * *

Breakaway didn't have any idea what happened and he didn't care. More over, he didn't care if he found Temp… Dark Steel. He had a higher priority now and that was to get the scrap of the _Harbinger_ before he was found. He made a mental note for the next time he had a really bad idea: don't act on it. He suddenly halted just before he reached the next corner. He spotted a shadow on the floor, meaning he was within reach of one of his pursuers.

Pulling a one hundred and eighty degree turn, Breakaway started to move back down the corridor he came. Meanwhile, the shadow's owner emerge from the corner and ironically, it belonged to Dark Steel. She wasn't alone; Hun-Gr was accompanying her in her hunt for the intruder. On the far end of the corridor, Breakaway hid around the corner and peaked back. He saw Dark Steel right there and he was tempted to confront her. But he knew better and…

Dark Steel suddenly looked his way, and he hid back around the corner. Despite not seeing him, Dark Steel started to make her way up the corridor with Hun-Gr following close by. Their pace was slow and methodical like that of a professional bounty hunter stalking their prey. As they drew closer to the corner, Dark Steel deployed an arm blade and Hun-Gr growled in anticipation. They reached the corner and Dark Steel took point. They rounded it and found nothing.

But it really meant nothing if an intruder was hiding at that very spot or not. Dark Steel transformed into her griffin form, brought her head up to and sniffed the air. Having an alternate animal form afforded her keen senses, and she knew right away that the intruder was close. She also determined that the intruder was the same Autobot she'd fought earlier. And, for some peculiar reason, Dark Steel returned to her robot form and looked to Hun-Gr.

"Regroup with the other Terrorcons and return to the bridge. I'll keep looking for the intruder."

Hun-Gr growled, "The captain gave orders to locate the intruder."

"I'm aware of the captain's order, but I'm also Second-in-Command and when he's preoccupied, you answer to me. Now, gather your team and return to the bridge." Dark Steel commanded the Terrorcon.

Hun-Gr lost the argument and departed to regroup with the Terrorcons, leaving Dark Steel to carry on the search alone. She returned to her griffin form and continued down the corridor, following the traces left behind by her prey. She had built-in sensors even in her animal optics, and they showed to her a faint, sickly green vapor trail that continued down the corridor's path and the corner at the end. It would be only a matter of time before she found her target.

At the same time, Breakaway continued down the new corridor he occupied. With every step he took, he periodically looked behind his back. No one was following him but he knew that was likely to change at some point. So he kept moving while being cautious not to run into any more trouble. But he wasn't entirely sure of where he was going since the corridors seemed more like a labyrinth. He didn't think he'd be surprised if he'd run into a Minotaur as the humans called it.

He continued on down the corridor and suddenly stopped at the sound of the griffin's call throughout the corridor. Breakaway looked back again but saw nothing. Then he kept moving on until he stopped by an opening door leading into a room. Breakaway didn't wait and rushed inside, closing the door behind him. As he stopped to collect himself, the lights came on and he thought he was caught. But he looked back and found himself in the relics vault for the first time.

Breakaway was instantly in awe of the relics that rest on a series of pedestals bathed under a light and he approached the nearest one to him. It appeared to resemble an ornately decorated shield, and the light shimmered off its golden surface. Breakaway moved on to the next pedestal, which housed probably the largest cannon he'd ever seen. The next pedestal housed a peculiar looking device that looked like it was made to fit onto a Transformer's chassis. The next pedestal housed an enormous, gold-encrusted hammer. Breakaway was tempted to touch it but held back. He turned around and suddenly fell back in terror of seeing a creature with razor sharp teeth, but far smaller than him. Once he collected himself, he managed to get a good look at the little creature, and the dozens more like it, occupying a large stasis tank.

"Scraplets. Why did it have to be Scraplets?" Breakaway mused with agonized despair.

Shaking off the shock of seeing the tank full of Scraplets, Breakaway continued studying the relics. There were other relics that Breakaway studied but didn't recognize, but their shared design spoke of Cybertronian origins. One particular relic caught the young Autobot's optic. It appeared to be a small, wrist mounted device akin to a wristwatch. Breakaway drew closer to the relic to study it further and before he could continue on, he heard the call of the griffin Transformer approaching.

He was startled and knocked into the pedestal, and the relic dropped from it. Breakaway made a quick grab for the relic and managed to catch it, but he unknowingly activated it. He was stunned when the relic, and his forearm, phased through the floor. Breakaway still felt his arm attached to the rest of him as well as the relic and brought both back through the floor, marveling at the relic as it hummed in his hand. Then he heard the call again and it sounded closer now. Soon after, the door opened.

The griffin appeared at the threshold, sniffing the air around it before transforming into its bipedal form. Dark Steel looked around the vault for any sign of the intruder without finding a trace. She knew he was there, hiding somewhere in the vault, and set about patrolling the parameter for signs. Dark Steel slowly walked just behind each of the other relics, starting with the Sky Boom Shield, moving passed the Requiem Blaster and then within reach of the Apex Armor.

Dark Steel made her way to the center of the vault, passing beside the stasis tank filled with the Scraplets and only giving them a passing glance. At the center, Dark Steel stood perfectly still and waited for a short time. Nothing happened to indicate intrusion, but then Dark Steel noticed the empty pedestal where the relic known as the Phase Shifter was supposed to be. She approached the pedestal and studied it closely. The intruder was definitely still in the vault somewhere, but Dark Steel's attempts to find were fruitless.

Giving the vault a final glance, Dark Steel slowly started back toward the door while walking backwards and keeping the vault in view. After taking one final glance around the vault, Dark Steel out into the corridor and walked away. A few moments afterwards, Breakaway appeared from within the far wall and wearing the Phase Shifter on his wrist. Looking back at the solid steel in disbelief and then at the Phase Shifter, Breakaway inwardly considered the relic to be something useful. Now, he needed to get going and he started for the door. The door opened and Breakaway stepped, only to stop once he felt a gun barrel to his head. He looked to the side and saw Dark Steel.

Breakaway could utter one word, "Scrap!"

* * *

Author's Note: I bring this latest chapter to a close, which as you might notice is set entirely aboard the _Harbinger_.

Breakaway finding and using the Phase Shifter for the first time is a reference to TFP Smokescreen and Dark Steel making use of her animal senses may or may not be a call back to Beast Wars. I don't know. Speaking of references... Scraplets. That is all!

Also, I flirted with the idea off killing off Cyclonus throughout the making of this chapter and eventually decided to pull the trigger (so to speak). Fret not, for his death will give way to the debut of a fan favorite Decepticon, and no, it's not Starscream. Trust me; it's all part of the plan.

So hit me up with a few reviews and I shall return. Peace out.


	16. Unsung Heroes, Unhinged Villains

Disclaimer: SCREW YOU, HURRICANE JUAQUIN. Sorry, I'm just ticked since it's pretty cold where I live right now. That's pretty unusual weather, so early in October.

Anyway, here's the next chapter of the story and of course, I don't the rights to Transformers.

Chapter XVI

* * *

Breakaway was wrong; luck wasn't on his side. Instead of luck, he had Dark Steel's gun pointed at his head and Dark Steel staring him down. "You're not going to fire that gun." he said.

Dark Steel pushed the gun slightly against the side of his head to illustrate her advantage over him. "I will if you provoke me. That Phase Shifter belongs in the relics vault, so I suggest you return it before I pull the trigger."

"No, you won't pull that trigger. It's not in you. I know in my Spark it's not in you." Breakaway claimed, prompting Dark Steel to push the gun further.

"You don't know anything outside of my gun barrel to you head. Now, what are you doing on this ship?" Dark Steel demanded.

Breakaway was conflicted. He could've fought his way out of his situation or tried to talk Dark Steel down. He still had the Phase Shifter, meaning within a second he could use to slip away. But it would've only bought him a small amount of time, maybe enough to get off the ship and back to Earth. But with Dark Steel standing right in front of him and that agonizing belief that she was, used to be Tempest, impossible as it might seem, Breakaway was compelled to remain. His next move would determine his fate.

"I came for you." he said.

"Why?"

"Because I know you… Tempest." Breakaway said, knowing he was taking a huge gamble now.

Dark Steel narrowed her optics. "You called that before. Why? Why do you keeping calling me that?"

"It's who you really are, okay? You're Tempest, you're an Autobot and…" Breakaway continued to explain before Dark Steel held the gun barrel right between his optics now.

"SHUT UP," Dark Steel snapped. "I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing but you're wrong about whatever you think of me and I won't stand for it."

"It's not a game. I know you; you're my friend, Tempest. You're more than that…" Breakaway exclaimed, almost literally pouring his Spark out.

"I said SHUT UP. My name is Dark Steel. I'm not this Tempest, I don't who she was and I don't know you, Breakaway." Dark Steel angrily shouted, but Breakaway caught something in her tirade.

"You just said my name," he declared, and Dark Steel was suddenly addled. "You _do_ know me."

"I… don't… know… you." Dark Steel emphasized every word, but she was stepping back while Breakaway was moving forward. She placed the barrel underneath his chin, stopping him where he stood.

"If you're really going to pull that trigger, then get it over with." Breakaway said.

That was the motivation Dark Steel needed. She inched her finger onto the trigger and prepared to squeeze it down. Breakaway's head would've been vaporized in seconds. But something was wrong; the trigger wouldn't budge. It wasn't because it suddenly jammed or because the safety was locking in. It was Dark Steel. She was hesitating. She was trying to tell herself in her own meta processor that Thunderwing would've wanted the Autobot alive. But the more she tried to move her finger against the trigger, the more she couldn't do it.

Breakaway saw his opening and grabbed the gun, but Dark Steel tried to prevent its theft. They struggled in a Tug-a-War and in the process, the gun fired into the ceiling and leaving scorch marks. Breakaway won the war, spinning Dark Steel around and tossing her into the wall behind her. Once Dark Steel was down, Breakaway sprinted run down the corridor with as much speed as his legs could provide. Dark Steel was dazed as she recovered and took aim at Breakaway. Breakaway stopped at the corner and looked back, and then Dark Steel hesitated again. She had a perfect shot and she could've taken it.

She didn't, and Breakaway vanished around the corner. Dark Steel dropped to the floor onto her knee, the gun smacking onto the floor but still held in her hand. He was right there, staring right back at her. The shot couldn't have been any cleaner, any better. But she hesitated Dark Steel hesitated to execute a Transformer that she didn't know… or maybe she did. She said his knew. She _knew_ him. How was it even possible? The frustration built and built until Dark Steel finally snapped and screamed and shot her gun into the air, striking the ceiling once again.

* * *

On the bridge, the crew continued their duties while waiting for the next order from Thunderwing. Then they turned in unison, believing that the Thunderwing had arrived. But it wasn't Thunderwing. The intruder was a random Transformer no one had seen before. But they knew enough to know that this interloper wasn't supposed to be on the ship much less the bridge. Skullcrusher was the first to rise up to confront interloper and stalked toward him.

Breakaway wasn't sure if he'd taken a wrong turn when he was searching for the exit. He did know for sure that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He'd apparently entered an area full of unknown Transformers, and one of them was approaching him likely with malice in mind. The robot was huge compared to Breakaway, colored with a green, purple and black that screamed "bad." The hulking robot loomed over Breakaway.

"You're big." Breakaway quipped.

"What're you doing here? Who are you?" Skullcrusher demanded.

Breakaway looked passed Skullcrusher toward the front of the bridge. Another of the crew looked from the helm and then rose up. Then Breakaway deployed his rifle and fired on Skullcrusher at point blank range. Skullcrusher was pushed back by a series of shots, even shielding his face from taking damage. Breakaway opened fire around the bridge, sending the crew scattering. But then Skullcrusher recovered and grabbed hold of Breakaway by his arm. He punched him in the chassis three straight times and Breakaway dropped to his knees. The hits to his chassis were so hard that Breakaway actually coughed up oil.

"It's not going to be quick. I'm going to take my time ripping you apart." Skullcrusher claimed before he transformed in a mechanical crocodile and stalked toward Breakaway.

Breakaway didn't have time to maneuver around the robot croc, but he did have the Phase Shifter still attached to his wrist. He quickly activated the relic and the croc passed right through him. Breakaway bolted toward the front of the bridge where Tigatron was already standing. In a flash, Tigatron transformed into mechanical white tiger and lunged for the Autobot as he ran straight toward him. They would've collided if the Phase Shifter weren't active. Instead, Breakaway passed through the tiger robot without difficultly and was seconds from reaching the helm.

A blast of energy stopped him, cracking against the floor in front of him and sending him tumbling. Breakaway turned and saw Thunderwing standing back near the entrance, and he had the Terrorcons with him. Thunderwing saw the Phase Shifter and, furious with seeing it in the Autobot's possession, assumed his dragon form. Breakaway opened fire on the dragon as it went right for him and prepared kill him.

Dark Steel arrived soon after and amid the chaos on the bridge, she fired on Breakaway. But her shots were errant, and they struck Thundering in his hide. Thunderwing was distracted for no more than a moment, buying Breakaway time to activate the Phase Shifter again. He dove right through the helm and vanished. Thunderwing returned to his robot form along with Tigatron and Skullcrusher, approached the windows by the helm and looked outside. They saw the Autobot in jet form returning toward Earth.

Thunderwing turned back toward Dark Steel, who was leaning on the wall as if she'd just been through a brutal fight. He approached her and loomed over her like the darkest shadow being cast by the darkest eclipse. Dark Steel said nothing, instead bowing her head down in disgrace. Thunderwing snarled and stormed off, leaving Dark Steel along with the Harbinger's crew staring her down. She'd have told Thunderwing right at the moment that she was aiming at the Autobot. Or was she…?

* * *

Arcee hadn't left Hotrod's side since he was very nearly killed by Thunderwing. It all happened right in front of her and it played in her head over and over again. The more she thought about, the more she was inching even closer to want to rip that's monster's black Spark out. If Optimus Prime felt the same way, Arcee thought, he'd want to do the same thing. But at the same time, Arcee knew Optimus Prime too well to even think he'd want something so petty as revenge. She couldn't help it; she wanted revenge against Thunderwing. After every Hotrod did for the Autobots, she felt she owed it to him. But revenge wasn't going to be the answer.

Arcee looked over to see Bumblebee approaching her. "Optimus wants us in the war room."

"I'll be there in a moment. I just… need some time process." Arcee whispered.

Bumblebee didn't say much at first but stated, "I have to believe that Triage did everything he could. Now all we can do is hope for the best."

Arcee considered Bumblebee's words before she asked. "Is it wrong to want to kill someone? I mean, REALLY want to tear out someone's Spark and crush it right in front of them."

"I'm not sure if I can answer that, Arcee." Bumblebee said.

"I want to kill Thunderwing, Bee. But I know that if I go down that road, all for revenge, there's no coming back." Arcee said, at it was the closest to a confession that Bumblebee heard.

"Well, what do think Optimus would do?" he asked.

Arcee replied, "The right thing. Let's go see what Optimus is planning."

* * *

The Autobots were gathered in the war room where Optimus Prime was working diligently at Talatraan II. The screen displayed a chart not unlike a timeline, but it was still different from any standard chart of human history. Chip was the first to notice the differences. He studied the imagery closer and noted the silhouettes that could be representative of the Transformers species. These images were still vastly different from the Autobots themselves. Spike, Carly and Marissa all noticed the differences afterward but it was still strange to Verity and Daniel, but of whom were still distracted by Hotrod's condition.

Ultra Magnus spotted Bumblebee and Arcee arriving and said, "Nice of you two to show up."

"Sorry, Magnus. We were…" Bumblebee started.

Arcee finished with, "…with Hotrod."

Daniel overheard the Autobots talking and approached them with Verity behind him. "How's he doing, Arcee?"

"It's too soon to tell, Daniel." Arcee said.

"You know Triage and I did all that we could do for him, Daniel. All we can do is hope for the best now." Verity stated and briefly looked at Triage, who didn't reply.

"But plan for the worst, right?" Daniel grimly said.

"Believe me, I wish I had a better answer for you." Verity said.

Daniel exhaled out of frustration as Ultra Magnus approached Optimus Prime, who was still engaged to the chart on Talatraan II's screen. "Optimus, maybe you should say something."

Optimus Prime stop working and considered Ultra Magnus' suggestion. The City Commander had a very good point; Optimus needed to say something to the Autobots to get them focused on the task at hand. They were all obviously shaken over Hotrod's condition to the point where at least some of them might have attempted something drastic. It was something Optimus couldn't afford to happen, and that belief was further reinforced by his recent commune with Alpha Trion. After taking the time to consider his words and to do so carefully, Optimus Prime turned to his fellow Autobots. They in turn looked to him for whatever guidance he would offer. Optimus chose to offer the truth.

"Autobots, we have all experienced personal tragedy throughout our individual lives, and more so collectively. By now, you are all aware that the life of one of our own hangs by a thread, perpetrated by an enemy about whom we know very little but whose goal may threaten our adopted home world. For the sake of planet Earth and for Hotrod, our friend, our brother… our son… we must do all we can to face down this threat."

"So, what exactly do we know right from the start, Optimus? Whom exactly are we dealing with?" Arcee asked, now focused on the task at hand.

Optimus turned back to the screen and returned to his work, but he didn't neglect the Autobots. "He calls himself Thunderwing and for reasons unclear to us, he has targeted Earth in search of the legendary relic known as the Star Saber."

Of all the Autobots, Crosshairs was the most skeptical. "The Star Saber? No offense, Optimus, but I find it hard to believe that something like that exists at all."

"Yet at the same time, Optimus is currently in possession of the Matrix of Leadership. We'd be wise to consider the possibly that this Star Saber exist as well." Highbrow explained, but Crosshairs simply blinked his optics in annoyance.

Optimus Prime turned to Crosshairs and Highbrow and told Crosshairs, "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Star Saber is real, Crosshairs. And thus, I know that must find it."

"Optimus, why does Thunderwing want the Star Saber at all?" Verity asked.

"When we first spoke, Thunderwing claimed that he wished to add it to his collection of relics which I can only surmise is within the confines of the _Harbinger_ orbiting Earth as we speak. But I fear far darker intentions should Thunderwing complete his mission. And considering that he was somehow able to bring Megatron back from the dead, there is no telling what he might do if he succeeds." Optimus Prime exclaimed grimly.

There was an uncomfortable silence within the war room among the Autobots until Carly replied, "Okay, lets say this Star Saber does in fact exist; how can we expect to find it before Thunderwing? We don't even no if it's on Earth or even within our Solar System."

"She has a point, Optimus. For all we know, this Star Saber could be on the other side of the galaxy." Spike added.

"And yet, Thunderwing is here on Earth. All the more reason that we should consider that here is where we can find the Star Saber." Optimus Prime reasoned. "To that end, I have requested for Cerebros to conduct a global scan of the entire planet for any energon signatures, however faint they may be."

"That's a lot of planet to cover, Optimus, even if we rerouted every satellite orbiting above." Marissa said.

"There's something else bothering me; how does Thunderwing even know about the Star Saber at all? That would imply that he knows about the Original Primes." Ultra Magnus stated.

Rather than give a response, Optimus Prime returned to Talatraan II and brought the chart from earlier. "This is a listing of the Original Primes; the first to ever walk Cybertron, and the first to defeat Unicron."

The Autobots drew closer to the screen and studied the images of thirteen individual robots arranged in a circular pattern. They all appeared different from each other in varying ways, some appearing mechanical and others with a more organic feel. Ten appeared in full detail while three were dimmed out. Eager to know more, the Autobots drew even closer to the screen. Their human allies had to squeeze in between the legs of their alien friends just to get a look of their own.

"What are we looking at, Optimus?" Bumblebee asked.

"This is a detailed account of the Thirteen Original Primes as they are believed to have first appeared. Take note of their identities." Optimus Prime stated.

Elita One looked closely and read out the names of each Prime. "Prima the Leader, Vector Prime the Interdimensional Traveler, Solas Prime the Artificer…" she noted inwardly that Solas Prime was female as well as the dimmed image before it.

Ultra Magnus continued the examination. "Micronus Prime the Catalyst, Alchemist Prime the Elemental, Nexus Prime the Wizard of Forms…"

"Who names these bots?" Crosshairs muttered, and received a nudge from Highbrow for it.

Bumblebee added his examination next. "Onyx Prime the Spirit Warrior, Amalgamous Prime the Shape Shifter, Quintus Prime the Experimental Dreamer…"

"And Liege Maximo the Manipulator." Optimus Prime finished.

Ultra Magnus noticed something on the chart and said, "Optimus, you said there were thirteen Primes, but I'm only counting ten here. Three are missing."

"This is as the chart originally appeared, but when I update it, you will see two of the Primes reappearing." Optimus Prime explained, while the screen shifted and changed.

As Optimus stated, two of the three missing images took shape and another round of silence washed over the Autobots. Elita One startling said, "That's… Alpha Trion?"

"The Chronicler, the Archivist… the Prime that remade Orion Pax, Ariel and Dion into us; Optimus Prime, Elita One and Ultra Magnus." Optimus revealed.

"Then the stories, the rumors were true; Alpha Trion was one of the Original Prime." Magnus said with an air of shock.

Optimus continued to update the chart. Another of the dimmed images took detailed form, and the Autobots quickly noted this particular Prime had a familiar face. "This is Megatronus… the Fallen; the founder of the Decepticons."

Another hushed silence came and went before Elita One said, "That's twelve Primes, but there's still one missing. Who's the thirteenth Prime, Optimus?"

"I have yet to determine the identity of the thirteenth Prime in question, Elita. Although, I cannot help but feel a sense of pure dread that we may very well have met him already."

"You can't be serious, Optimus. Not him… anyone but him." Elita angrily denied.

"Who? Optimus, who are you talking about; who this thirteen Prime?" Spike asked.

With a massive wave of reluctance, Optimus Prime was forced to speak the name of the possible thirteenth Prime. "Thunderwing."

* * *

Josie snapped her eyes wide open and the first thing she saw a light. At first, she thought she'd just died and was on her way to the Afterlife despite not believing such nonsense. But she quickly snapped back to reality. Something felt wrong. Part of her face felt wrong. Her right shoulder felt wrong as did her left forearm. Her waist, her legs; it all just felt wrong. Then she saw why once she looked at left forearm, and it wasn't hers anymore. It was mechanical, silver-sheened and gleaming in the light. Josie looked at her shoulder and found that it too was silver-sheened. The rest of her body was mechanical in certain places, while the remainders that weren't were still flesh. Josie blinked her eyes to make sure she still had them, and then a person in a medical mask and glasses appeared in full view.

"Calm down, Lt. Beller. I need you to take a deep breath and relax."

Josie was darting her eyes back and forth and at the same time, the above light flickered. "Where am I? What's going on, where am I?"

"Please remain calm. You're in a secured facility. You've been critically injured on the Golden Gate Bridge less than 12 hours ago." The unknown doctor explained to Josie, who was becoming more and more addled.

"My arm… my body. What did you do to me?" Josie demanded to know, her addled state worsening.

The doctor, and others like him, were growing nervous whenever the lights flickered. Rather than start a panic, the nameless man gave Josie the explanation. "You're body is generating a massive electrical surge that's been destabilizing various mechanical devices. We fitted your body with a series of electrical enhancements to stabilize your condition."

"Take these things off, or I'll rip your head off." Josie demanded, and the flickering of the lights increased. Any medical equipment in the room shuddered in response.

"Lt. Beller, please calm down…"

"TAKE THEM OFF!" Josie snapped and a bolt of lightning shot forth.

The doctor was flung across the room, crashed through any medical equipment that was in the way and finally hit the wall. A gaping hole was punch right through his sternum and soon, the other doctors panicked. Josie screamed at the top of her lung and in the process, sent a surge of electrical arcs all throughout the room. For each piece of equipment that shorted out or blown apart, one of the other helpless doctors was maimed before they knew what was happening. By the time the lights and medical equipment were shorted and the doctors were dead, Josie blew off the restraint keeping her on the table.

She rose from the table, levitated by an unseen force. Countless arcs electrical current jutted from her body, striking the walls of the blackened room while lighting it for brief moment. On the floor, the currents subsided and Josie collapsed to her knees. After struggling to rise back to her feet, Josie stumbled for the double doors but stopped to see her reflection on a silver medical tray. That was when she took in the true extent of what these people had done to her. Silvery mechanical implants were all over her body, her face even, covering any burn marks she had. Tiny blue streaks of light within the implant shot in and out of view. The sight of what she'd become pushed Josie over the edge and she screamed louder than she ever had in life… a life that for all intents and purposes was over.

The doors were blasted off their hinges and Josie stumbled out of the room bathed in electrical currents. The walls, the halls and lights were either scorched or burned as Josie started forward toward where she somehow knew these people were keeping her property. The alarms sirens blared and groups of soldiers, or maybe hired guns, converged on Josie. As she rounded the next corner, she was confronted by a single platoon of guards. She nearly collapsed, using the corner to stabilize herself before she made a stumbling gait for the platoon.

Without waiting for an order from anybody in charge, the platoon opened fire on her. Josie kept coming for them. The bullets weren't anywhere close to her when they shattered upon impacting something invisible. Josie's advance became faster and more aggressive and the currents shorted out the ceiling lights above. The platoon didn't stop shooting and the paid for it. Josie screamed and tensed her body, sending a series of arcs right at them. The platoon was electrocuted, each one of them bombarded and left lying in charred remains.

Josie was initially stunned by what she'd just done, even gazing at her shaking hands. But she focused and continued her relentless move toward the location of her property. The electrical currents within the walls showed her the way and she followed them, only to be confronted by another platoon of guards. She made short work of them and the next group that followed. A few individuals tried to confront her head-on, and they were electrocuted before they knew what hit them. She moved on and stopped by a wall. She spotted giant letters on the wall; M, E, C and H. They spelled the word MECH, but Josie gave it no thought and stormed onward. Eventually finding her way to the source of the current's convergence, Josie blasted the doors off and she stormed into a large area. Several scientists were present and apparently working on the Technobots when they saw Josie standing at the entrance.

"GET OUT!" she shouted and sent surges flying.

The scientists bolted out of the room fast while dodging arcs, leaving Josie alone with the Technobots. Josie looked at the floor and found a series of cables running across it. The bastards, this MECH; they were siphoning power from the Technobots. These robots were hers and she wasn't about to leave them to belong to someone else. After considering what MECH had made her into, a walking, living circuit breaker, Josie approached the Technobots and unleashed a massive surge of electricity on the nearest of them.

The surge traveled from Scattershot to Strafe to Lightspeed to Nosecone and finally to Afterburner, causing them to shudder from the jolting. Then they all came online, each of them with bright yellow optics that seemed to light up the room. Josie levitated off the floor and floated up to the nearest robot and studied the optics closely. She could see her reflection again but rather than experience shock and despair, she felt rage and it was directed toward the Transformers. She hated them; ALL of them, and now she had a force of robot all her own. Josie considered that old expression about payback, and it was never truer than right now.

* * *

Author's Note: That settles another chapter where things are getting interesting with some surprising twists.

Breakaway confronting Dark Steel was given a similar feel to _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_. I guess we'll see where that side story goes.

Also, I brought up a semi-twist by revealing the Original Primes and the implied conclusion that Thunderwing actually _is_ a Prime. Is it true or am I just playing mind games.

Finally, Josie Beller embraces her inner psycho-chick and finally brings the Technobots to life. For the record, she won't be identified as Circuit Breaker since I personally find it to sound silly. And yes, MECH does make a cameo appearance but I'm holding them off until my planned sequel.

So there you go. Drop me a review and I shall return soon.


	17. Hunting Season

Disclaimer: October; my most/least favorite month of the year because Halloween is cool, but Oct. 17 is not cool. I won't get into the details on the latter; it's personal.

I present the latest chapter for your reading pleasure and as always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XVII

Amid the hushed silence and stunned astonishment the Autobots displayed toward Optimus Prime, Sideswipe was the first to speak his mind. "With all due respect, Optimus; are you out of your mind?"

Then Sunstreaker contributed to the conversation, "Yeah, you can't seriously be suggesting that Thunderwing is an actual, living Original Prime, let alone the Thirteenth Prime. There's no way in the Pit that's true."

Optimus remained ever stoic when he replied, "I agree in part with you both that the sheer possibility of Thunderwing's true natural as a Prime lacks merit. However, Alpha Trion lived for millennia without revealing his true natural as a Prime."

"Yeah, and we all know what happened to him afterward." Jazz added.

"Regardless of what is true or not, if Thunderwing retrieves the Star Saber before we do, I fear for this planet's future. That is why we MUST find the Star Saber first." Optimus Prime declared.

" _Cerebros to Optimus Prime, I've detected an energon signature approaching the city. It's Autobot."_

"Breakaway." Ultra Magnus determined.

* * *

Breakaway was on his final approach to the city and flying too fast to land properly with his landing gear, not that he needed to land properly. As soon as he was within reach of the city, he transformed and dropped down but stumbled and fell. He put his hands to the steel surface to steady himself before turned to sit on his backside. Looking back up toward the sky where he determined the _Harbinger_ was stationed, Breakaway instantly regretted escaping from there without Dark Steel.

She knew his name and even spoke it out loud. Then, she appeared to cover his escape from the Harbinger. As far as Breakaway was concerned, that meant that Dark Steel was Tempest. As he was starting to rise up to his feet, Ultra Magnus, Jazz and Elita One emerged from the city to meet with him. Elita was the first to reach him and help him up and Jazz was there next to assist. When Ultra Magnus approached, Breakaway pulled away from Elita One and Jazz and was about to take off.

"Breakaway, what happened? Where've you been?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Breakaway spun around and he said, "She's alive, Magnus."

"Who?"

"Tempest. She's alive and she's up there on the _Harbinger_. I've got to go back and get her out." Breakaway declared, but the three Autobots couldn't mask their skeptical stares.

"Uh, you hit your head on the down, kid?" Jazz quipped.

Elita was more serious, placing a hand on Breakaway's shoulder. "Breakaway, I understand that you're still grieving over Tempest's death, but you've got to let it go. She's gone."

Breakaway pulled away from Elita. "No. No, Elita, she'd not gone. She's up on the _Harbinger_. Thunderwing has done something to her, turned her into Dark Steel."

Optimus Prime approached the Autobots at a surprisingly quick pace but without the sense of urgency. "What is happening here? Breakaway, where have you…" he stopped his investigation once he saw the device on Breakaway's wrist. ""Where did you retrieve that device?"

Breakaway looked at the Phase Shifter and replied, "From the _Harbinger_ , but what does it matter? We've got to get Tempest back."

"There may be more to this than we know," Optimus Prime stated. "Go speak with Triage, but leave this device with me for now."

"Optimus…"

"That is an order, Breakaway." Optimus said with authority.

Unable to talk back to Optimus Prime even though he could, Breakaway handed the Phase Shifter over. Then he stormed off to the city with Elita One and Jazz following close. Optimus Prime studied the Phase Shifter closely and intently, and he quickly determined that the _Harbinger_ had other relics within. Thunderwing was obviously obsessed with the collecting of relics from the Original Prime, and that drove home the ever-increasing possibility that Thunderwing may have actually been one of them. Optimus Prime was hoping to Primus that he was wrong, and that he and the Autobots would find the Star Saber before Thunderwing did. Things were becoming far complicated now.

"Optimus," Ultra Magnus said. "You okay?"

After a long, thought look at the Phase Shifter, Optimus Prime replied, "We need to find the Star Saber."

* * *

Thunderwing stood in the relics vault, staring at the empty pedestal where the Phase Shifter was supposed to be resting. He was also waiting, impatiently, for Dark Steel to join him. Dark Steel had some things to explain to Thunderwing and he wasn't going to let it go until he had gotten what he was after. Dark Steel eventually appeared at the entrance and found Thunderwing with his back to her. She was reluctant to enter the vault and Thunderwing made no effort to look in her direction. He didn't even acknowledge her arrival, unnerving her even more. At the same time, Dark Steel felt as if she was being beckoned into the vault and she entered.

Thunderwing, without looking back, finally addressed Dark Steel in a surprisingly calm tone. "Have I ever told you how I first found the Phase Shifter?"

Unsure if she should've even thought about replying, Dark Steel did so. "No, sir."

"I detected the Phase Shifter's readings on a deserted planet consumed by an endless blizzard. It made finding the relic a changed but I was able to secure it. And, it rested right here, on this pedestal. Now, it's gone, taken by an Autobot intruder that you failed to apprehend," Thunderwing stated and finally turned to directly address Dark Steel. "So, what happened, Dark Steel?"

Dark Steel hesitated and worse than that, she couldn't hide it from Thunderwing. She could've lied to him, but her instincts told her that was a bad idea. Still, she didn't waver. She didn't take her optics off of Thunderwing and remained calm under the otherwise overwhelming pressure being heaped on down on her. Thunderwing wasn't forcing an answer out of her, which was another benefit to Dark Steel. It gave her ample time to provide the very best explanation she could've given. Her hope was that it would be enough.

"I was patrolling the ship alongside Hun-Gr in an attempt to apprehend the intruder. After ordering Hun-Gr to regroup with the other Terrorcons, I continued the search alone and cornered the intruded here in the vault. Then I demanded the return of the Shifter, but he managed to get away. He made it to the bridge where Tigatron and Skullcrusher attempted to corner him, but he used the Shifter to escape."

Thunderwing gave Dark Steel a telling look that told her he didn't believe a single word. He said, "As far as explanations go, that's not unreasonable. But, how would you explain shooting me?"

"My shots were intended for the intruder, sir. Unfortunately, they were errant and struck you by mistake." Dark Steel claimed, and Thunderwing leered at her.

Then he pulled away and replied, "No harm done, and don't concern yourself with the Phase Shifter's theft. The Star Saber is still our top priority. Return to the bridge and await my orders."

As Thunderwing started to leave the vault, for some insane reason beyond her understanding, Dark Steel said, "Sir, the Autobot… He claimed that I knew him," Thunderwing stopped instantly and turned his head and shoulder to face Dark Steel. "He… addressed me by the name _Tempest_."

"And?"

Again, Dark Steel seemed out of sorts before she replied, "The name does sound slightly familiar, but I think he was trying to confuse me."

"And confuse you, he did," Thunderwing replied and stood close to Dark Steel, looming over her. "It was a rather convenient ploy to save his own manifolds, and you've clearly been traumatized by it."

"I am still fit for duty, Captain." Dark Steel assured Thunderwing."

"I know but be that as it may, it might be wise for you to take some personal time to yourself. I need my First Lieutenant to be sharp, disciplined and free of any and all distractions until the Star Saber is found and added to the collection."

"But Captain…"

"But nothing, Dark Steel," Thunderwing snapped, silencing Dark Steel. "As of now, I am relieving you of your duties as First Lieutenant. What you do with your time is entirely up to you."

Reluctantly, Dark Steel nodded and Thunderwing left the vault with the door closing behind him. Alone with the relics, Dark Steel looked at the vacant pedestal where the Phase Shifter should've been. Her first thought was to go after the Autobot that stole it return to Thunderwing as a gesture of loyalty. But then she had another thought; what if that Autobot was right? Dark Steel played the encounter the two of them over and over again in her head. The fact that Dark Steel addressed him by his name lent some merit to his claims of her identity. Or maybe Thunderwing had been correct to assume fabrication on the part of Breakaway…

Dark Steel was shocked at all of a suddenly recalling his name. She shouldn't have known or even thought to remember it but she did. She played back the encounter even more and this time, she was starting to piece together moments of a past life. Was she really this Tempest individual, reborn to act as the right hand of an obsessive Captain? Dark Steel decided that she needed answers, and she knew only one individual help could help her.

* * *

Tarantulas was hard at work on rebuilding the one-time body of Cyclonus, using the cannibalized parts of two other former robots that were acquired during the Harbinger's travels. Behind him, Megatron was still strapped down on the operating table and watching with cold intent. Tarantulas was well aware but didn't indulge Megatron with any specifics. Megatron glanced up at the new body of the soon-to-be new Cyclonus while he was nonchalant about having destroyed him earlier. That was more for personal gratification than to gain favor with Thunderwing.

Tarantulas stopped for a moment and addressed Megatron. "Something on your mind, Megatron?"

"I'm contemplating my options, trying to determine the best ways for me to kill you when I free myself." Megatron stated, earing a muted chuckle from Tarantulas.

"Really? And what have you consider?"

"I'm weighing the options; your eventual death could be made quick, painless; you wouldn't feel a thing. Or, I could make you suffer horribly. I could force you to beg and plead for me to end you, and I would simply take my time. It'd be no different from what you've done to Sentinel Prime over there." Megatron said while glancing at the opposite table.

Tarantulas looked toward the same table where Sentinel Prime laid, slowly dying. "He's already dead. Why Thunderwing insists on keeping him on life support is beyond me, among other things."

Megatron considered Tarantulas' word carefully and drew a new conclusion. "You hate Thunderwing, don't you, Tarantulas?"

Tarantulas finally turned to face Megatron. "Was I _that_ obvious? Thunderwing is all consumed with acquiring the relics of the Original Primes. With each one he obtained, I'd wished to study its properties and maybe even reverse-engineer them. But Thunderwing… he's insisted upon leaving them in a vault where they collect space dust. He has no imagination, can't think outside the box. He's obsessed with digging for trinkets in space, and now, he's obsessed with finding the Star Saber. It's quite pathetic when you consider it."

"Well, I did warn that his obsession would be his downfall," Megatron stated, and then he smiled. "It seems you and I have found some common ground."

"If you're suggesting an alliance, then you're looking in the wrong place." Tarantulas implied.

"Who said I was suggesting anything? I still plan to kill you when I am free of these shackles, but at least you now have something to consider in your future. Thunderwing has already lost and that is the moment when you'll have to decide." Megatron exclaimed cryptically.

"Decide what, Megatron?" Tarantulas asked, no facing the roguish Decepticon.

Megatron replied, "Decide; whether you're with me or against me. And if history has taught anyone anything, it's that I will always crush whomever stands against me."

Tarantulas narrowed his optics on Megatron but considered the ultimatum he was presented. Historically, Megatron was right; anyone that stood against him had a certain way of dying. But if had a mouth instead of a maw, Tarantulas would've simply smiled off the threat. He turned away from Megatron and returned to his work. No sooner did he start making the next series of minor or major adjustments that he caught movement just out of his peripheral vision. Initially thinking that Megatron was about to make good on his threat, Tarantulas looked toward the entrance of his lab.

Dark Steel was standing at the entrance. Tarantulas was unsure how long she'd been there or if she heard the exchange between him and Megatron. Tarantulas did notice something; Dark Steel's posture seemed off. There was a sense of fatigue and confusion, like something was eating away at her. Dark Steel entered the room with a largely unsteady gait, not enough to cause a lack of balance but enough to warrant concern from others. Concern was an emotion for which Tarantulas had no use. Curiosity was another story.

"This is a surprise, Dark Steel. I thought you'd be on the bridge with the Captain."

"You thought wrong. The Captain has ordered that I take personal time after my earlier encounter with…" Dark Steel stopped speaking, unable to bring herself to speak the name of that Autobot.

"With who?" Tarantulas asked.

Rather than reply, Dark Steel said, "I need a favor, Tarantulas. I'm learning things about myself that I can't explain and at the same time, I can't ignore. I'm not entirely sure if I am who I think I am."

"So what do you want from me? Tarantulas asked.

Tensing herself, Dark Steel said, "I need to know… who was the Autobot called Tempest."

* * *

Brainstorm had been studying the Phase Shifter ever since Breakaway returned with it. His optics glowed with wonderment and astonishment and his meta processor was literally racing with the possible applications he thought about. Breakaway was sitting upright on an operating table with Triage and Verity attending to him. The medic had been checking him over for any injuries he'd possibly sustained, but Breakaway was relatively, and physically, healthy and functional. Verity was at the monitor checking Breakaway's vitals and she found nothing out of sync. Breakaway then peered across the infirmary and saw Hotrod on a separate table, heaving damage and apparently in stasis lock.

Optimus Prime approached Triage and asked, "What is the prognosis, Triage?"

"From a physical standpoint, Breakaway is completely intact. While I would recommend further examination, he's fit for duty at any time you have need of him." Triage informed Optimus.

"Told you so, Doc." Breakaway said.

"His vitals signs are stable as well, Optimus. As is his charming personality." Verity added.

With a nod, Optimus directed his attentions next to Brainstorm. "What about the Phase Shifter, Brainstorm?"

"Put bluntly, I've never seen anything like this before. The tech in this device is obviously ancient, but still so radically advanced that it's hard to pinpoint what makes it work," Brainstorm turned to Breakaway and enthusiastically asked. "And you managed to swipe from the _Harbinger_?"

"It was kind of a spur of the moment decision, Brainstorm." Breakaway said.

"What other relic did you find on the _Harbinger_?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Let's see; a dangerous looking giant gun, and foldable armor module, a giant, golden hammer and a shield among other things. And a tank full of Scraplets."

"Scraplets?" Brainstorm whimpered out loud.

Verity caught wind of the exchange and asked, "Do I have to ask what in the world is a Scraplet?"

Triage huffed and said, "PUH-LEEZE!"

Optimus stayed on topic and identified the relics that Breakaway described. "The Requiem Blaster , the Apex Armor, the Forge of Solas Prime and the Sky Boom Shield… all relics that Thunderwing had at some point acquired along with the Phase Shifter. Now, he has targeted the Star Saber next."

"Optimus, Thunderwing did something to Tempest to turn her into Dark Steel. She's alive and we've got to save her." Breakaway pleaded.

Optimus looked at Breakaway and told him, "Breakaway, whomever Tempest might have been, she is no longer the Autobot for whom you felt a personal connection. As much as it pains me to tell to say this, you must let her go."

"But Optimus, she recognized me. She _knew_ me. I can still save her; I can bring back." Breakaway continued to plead with Optimus.

"I am sorry, Breakaway. But you need to let her go." Optimus stated.

Then Breakaway countered in the harshest tone he could manage. "What about Hotrod? Will you let him go, too?" Not waiting for a reply, Breakaway hopped from the table and stormed off.

After a moment, Cerebros contacted Optimus. _"Optimus, I think I've found something you may wish to see."_

* * *

"I've completed the global scan of Earth for any unique energon signatures that may indicate a positive location on the Star Saber." Cerebros explained as he stood at Talatraan II. A dozen blips appeared on the screen, all blinking.

"That's a lot of blip on one screen." Jazz quipped.

"Yeah, and that's not much to go on. The Star Saber could still be anywhere on the planet." Bumblebee added.

"Very true. I've pinpointed at least thirty or forty locations where there are likely small to medium-sized pockets of raw energon, undisturbed for as long as the Transformers have been on Earth. However, I was able to pinpoint a particularly strong signal. The problem is that the location not particularly ideal." Cerebros stated.

"What do you mean, Cerebros?" Bumblebee asked.

Cerebros adjust the screen so it would display a more detailed map of the planet. He centered on the area where the energon signature he'd described was at its strongest and most unique. Optimus Prime inched closer to the screen and studied it closely, taking in every single detail that he was aloud to take. The other Autobots did the same as did Spike and Carly and Marissa and Chase. Chip had a clear view of the coordinates and his eyes widened in surprise. The coordinates, quietly literally, pointed in the direction of the end of the world.

"Cerebros, are you sure this is accurate?" he asked.

"I couldn't be any more sure of them if I tried. These coordinates indicate that the Star Saber is somewhere in the Arctic Circle." Cerebros confirmed and expanded the image to show Antarctica on screen.

"Of all the places on Earth, it has to be there." Carly commented.

"I don't know, Optimus. Going on the assumption that the Star Saber is in the Arctic Circle, it's going to be very difficult to navigate that whole area much less find it there." Spike stated.

"We also have to account for the fact that the Arctic Circle is constantly shifting and changing. Ice shelves frequently drop off and venture out to sea. For all we know, the Star Saber may be frozen in an iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic." Carly added.

"And on top of the that, the area is currently going through a thirty-day night cycle. Any chance of locating the Star Saber is slim at best." Marissa concluded.

"You all have provided me with valid points, but the longer we delay, the more likely that Thunderwing will find the Star Saber first." Optimus Prime stated.

"In that case, we're ready to go when you are, Optimus." Jazz said.

But Optimus Prime clarified, "No Jazz. I will be venturing to the Arctic Circle alone."

"Wait, what?" Jazz asked.

"With all due respect, you're going to need all the help you can get. Thunderwing might've already found the Star Saber in the same place. He might even be waiting there for you to get." Bumblebee pointed out.

"Perhaps you are right, Bumblebee. But in light of recent events and personal tragedies, I find that I cannot place the wellbeing of anyone else at risk. This is a mission that I must undertake alone." Optimus Prime stated and walked off.

A few minutes later and with Brainstorm now joining him at the Ground Bridge area, Optimus Prime was preparing for his departure. Ultra Magnus approached him without stopping and only did when he was within reach of Optimus Prime. Elita One arrived soon after with Jazz and Bumblebee joining her. Optimus Prime already had his rifle primed and ready to go and he gave Brainstorm a nod to activate the Bridge.

"Optimus, we can't let you do this alone." Ultra Magnus stated.

"There is no other alternative, Ultra Magnus. If the Star Saber is in fact within the Arctic Circle, then I alone must take this journey. I must find the Star Saber Thunderwing obtains it." Optimus Prime stated.

"The key word in that statement is _**if**_ , Optimus. You're going on the assumption and on a slim lead at best that you'll find the Star Saber. But if you're wrong or if Thunderwing gets to it first, this trip will be for nothing. But if you have some help…" Elita One said before Optimus cut her off.

"Elita, I fully understand the risks involve and that is why I must venture alone. I cannot and I will not allow anymore of my family to suffer." Optimus Prime replied.

"I get it, Optimus. It' about Hotrod, and you feel responsible for him. You want to avenge him, I get it. I've been through the same thing. This personal mission of yours… it could very well be suicide." Elita stated.

"All the more reason of why I need to do this alone. Hotrod may very well be lost to us, and I cannot bear to lose you as well; _any_ of you," Optimus Prime further clarified, but he could easily tell that Elita was dejected. "You and Ultra Magnus will be in command of the Autobots until I return. And I will return; I give you my word."

Elita was too dejected to reply but she nodded in the affirmative and Optimus Prime nodded to Brainstorm. Brainstorm activated the Ground Bridge and the swirling greenish-blue vortex came into existence. Elita stepped back, taking a stance beside Ultra Magnus as Optimus Prime approached the vortex. As the greenish-blue hue bathed his die-cast armor, Optimus Prime took one more look back at the Autobots that he knew would've gone to the Pit and back for him. He'd done the same for them on so many occasions and now, he was doing it again. With a final acknowledgement to them, Optimus Prime strode into the vortex and vanished from view of the Autobots.

He instantaneously reappeared on the other side of the vortex among the cold, frigid tundra that was a part of the Arctic Circle. The wind howled around him, cold and biting at his armor. He could take it. Cybertronians survived harsher conditions than what he was facing. The vortex closed behind Optimus Prime, leaving him effectively alone in a relatively barren place of the planet Earth. He knew it was for the best and for the wellbeing of his Autobots, and he wasn't going to let them suffer the same fate as Hotrod.

Optimus Prime held on out a tracking device in his hand, which gave off radar pings of the surrounding. He looked around. A snowstorm roared around him, blanketing his vision with endless snow and frost. This was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. Closing his faceplate, Optimus Prime check the tracking device. A slow ping ringed out amid the howling wind, barely audible for him to head but directing him northwest. Assuming his vehicle form, complete with built-in snow tire, Optimus Prime began his hunt for the Star Saber.

* * *

Five vehicles roared down the dirt road. Three were ground based; a motorcycle, a high-tech, futuristic car and a tank with a drill at its front end. The remaining two vehicles were airborne craft. All of them shared the same red and white color scheme. Leading the way was Josie Beller, now having embraced her newfound electrical abilities and flight of her own. She had revenge on his mind in its most brutal form. It was a revenge centered on all of the Transformers. It didn't matter whether they were Autobot or Decepticon; they were going to answer for the role they played in Josie's transformation into a living, breathing circuit breaker.

With her Technobots under her control, Josie was hell-bent on exacting her revenge. It wouldn't be just against the Transformers. Chip Chase would suffer as well. The Witwicky family would suffer. President Keller would suffer. That mysterious group that rebuilt her, calling themselves MECH; they would all suffer. Josie Beller hated them. She hated all of them and they were all going to suffer. They were all going to die.

* * *

Author's Note: That bring this chapter to close. Of course, this took some time but it's done.

The hunt for the Star Saber is on; I was debating which setting would prove more effective between the Arctic Circle or Antarctica. I picked the form to make the search more of a challenge for Optimus, who's going it alone for obvious reasons. And, Triage went and pulled a TFP Ratchet moment.

Dark Steel is starting to question who she is, to the point of asking Tarantulas to help her. Speaking of Tarantulas, he's provided insight on his personal issues with Thunderwing and Megatron wants to exploit that.

Finally, Josie Beller is on her way with the Technobots to go to war with pretty much everybody. Optimus picked a bad time to go Star Saber hunting.

Be sure to leave some feedback and I'll be back soon. Adios!


	18. Circuit Breakers

Disclaimer: At long last, I've finally managed to get a new chapter up after weeks of distractions. I'll skip the quirky one-liners and let you enjoy the chapter.

I don't own the rights to the Transformers, of course.

* * *

Chapter XVIII

Dark Steel waited on an elevated table while Tarantulas plugged in a cortical psychic patch from behind. Megatron watched closely and intently. He recognized the cortical psychic patch and knew also that it was long outlawed on Cybertron. Moreover, he knew that his old Decepticon ally Shockwave created the patch long before his untimely demise. Now Tarantulas had the patch and his was about to use it on Dark Steel. Megatron suspected however that Tarantulas didn't have Dark Steel's best interests at Spark. Tarantulas was hiding something, and Megatron suspected it long ago.

"Alright, Dark Steel. I need you to remain perfectly still for me."

"I'm strapped onto a table with a tube running into the back of my head. Of course I'm going to stay still."

Tarantulas hid his amusement well while he operated the console nearby. Dark Steel dimmed her optics as if she was slipping into a deep sleep. When she did, Tarantulas started the machine. Dark Steel tensed up from the start. Her body jolted up slightly from the table and her hands were clenched into fist. Her mouth dribbled under the strain of the patch while in her mind, images flew passed faster than light. Her request was for answer as to her identity and the identity of this Tempest individual that seemed so familiar to her.

Megatron watched the whole ordeal with marked interest, secretly reveling in Dark Steel's agonizing moments of self-defenselessness. One look, brief but meaningful, of Tarantulas told Megatron all he needed to know. Tarantulas was doing something to Dark Steel and it had nothing to do with help her. But Megatron said nothing incriminating, nor did he beg for Tarantulas to cease his experiment on Dark Steel, who continued to convulse on the table. Her fists were clenched as if she was involuntarily engaged in a fight and then she began to jolt up from the table and back down. She jolted up again, then down again, over and over without pause.

After a short but agonizing time, Tarantulas finally ended the experiment. Dark Steel grew quiet and calm from the ordeal when she regained consciousness. She was slow to rise from the table before she eventually did, taking a seating position and holding her hand to her head. That particular gesture was more out of dizzying and confusion than pain or agony. Giving her head a shake to clear it, Dark Steel gave Tarantulas a wary glare, to which Tarantulas gave a look of indifference.

"How do you feel?" he asked with mock concern.

"Scrap-tastic," Dark Steel sarcastically replied. "What happened?"

"It would appear that the cortical psychic patch endured a slight malfunction that cause your body to begin reacting violently. I had no choice but to halt the procedure," Tarantulas stated but also shot a glimpse of Megatron showing a sly smirk. "Tell me, Dark Steel; have you learned anything of this Tempest individual?"

Dark Steel appeared thoughtful but no more knowledgeable on the matter. "I… didn't learn anything. In fact I know less now than I did before." She forcibly removed the patch from her head in frustration.

"That's a shame. It appears that this patch is still in need of some adjustments. Still, aside from your slight mental lapsing, you're completely functional for active duty should you desire it." Tarantulas said using his best bedside manner as mocking as it seemed.

Wary of his mockery, Dark Steel snapped, "Thanks for nothing, doctor." Then she stormed out of the infirmary and was gone a second later.

Then Megatron said, "You lied to her."

"I beg your pardon?" Tarantulas said.

"The cortical psychic patch didn't fail because of some lack of adjustment, especially considering its perfect operational record. You deliberately hid the truth from Dark Steel about her former identity. Dark Steel really _is_ Tempest." Megatron deduced.

Tarantulas simply laughed coldly and turned his back to him. "Maybe I should take the time to make some adjustments on you, Megatron."

"Or maybe, it's time for you to drop the charade… _Shockwave_."

Tarantulas froze in place. He didn't turn to directly acknowledge Megatron, who was smirking because he knew he'd figured something out about him. Tarantulas turned his head slightly to one side and then he began to change. He shifted his form; bits and pieces fell out of sight and were replaced by different pieces. Megatron looked on as Tarantulas transformed right in from of him, not into some alternate animal form like most of the Harbinger's crew but into a completely different robotic frame. Then familiar parts remerged, particularly the arm cannon on the left arm and the single yellow optic then was synonymous with the one Cybertronian thought to be dead and gone.

Shockwave was standing directly in front of Megatron, who couldn't keep his sly grin off his face. "It would seem that you've uncovered my true identity, Lord Megatron."

"Indeed. This is an unexpected turn of events. I'd long believe you to be destroyed following Unicron's assault on Cybertron. Yet here you stand, fully functional and apparently upgraded."

"It was never my intention to deceive you, my liege. Following the appearance of Unicron so long ago, it was logical to take certain steps to conceal myself until the time right to reappear." Shockwave stated in his familiarly cold tone.

* * *

 _((Following the destruction of Starscream and the subsequent destruction of the Moon Bases by Unicron, I began to take necessary measures to ensure that if any Decepticon was to survive, I needed to be me. I began immediate construction of an upgraded form for myself, one that was fitted with shifter technology to allow for discreet operations. I then created a remotely controlled duplicate to stave off the suspicions of the other Decepticons._

 _From a secret stage area deep beneath Kaon, I watched as Unicron began his assault on Cybertron. I watched as all Cybertronians, Autobot and Decepticon alike, battled ferociously against this threat. Such an effort was illogical; Unicron was far too powerful for even the entire Cybertronian race to combat. And yet, the Autobots ultimately defeated Unicron. Throughout the conflict, the factor I did not consider was the destruction of my duplicate not by Unicron but by Starscream, who had secretly copied his programming into his clone, Slipstream._

 _Following the battle, I assumed the identity of Tarantulas and escaped from Cybertron. I wandered the galaxy for the next three stellar cycles, studying and cataloging anything of value. My ship had drifted into an uncharted region of space, and that is where I located the Harbinger and its lone occupant: Thunderwing. As he was not present during Unicron's attack, I attempted to inquire on his origins and motivation as well as his acquisition of the Harbinger. He declined to divulge that information, instead explaining his personal mission to retrieve the relics of the Original Primes._

 _Under my guise as Tarantulas, I accompanied Thunderwing in his search for the relics. We found several of them in short in short order. But as it was apparent that the search would be more expedient with a crew, I began constructing individuals who could serve that purpose. The Terrorcons were the first, so it was logical that they would be a combiner team. Others followed; Skullcrusher, Apeface, Snapdragon, Wingspan and Pounce. During our travels, we also recruited a Cybertronian refugee in Tigatron and Thunderwing_ _persuaded_ _him to join the crew._

 _Our search continued when we located the Spark Extractor on a barren, lifeless desert world. I had become interested in its functionality and desired to learn more from it and the other relics. But Thunderwing had become obsessed with finding the Star Saber. Again, I attempted to inquire why he wanted to find any of these relics, and again he declined to explain as finding the Star Saber became his top priority. Secretly however, I discovered the Spark Extractor's hidden propensity to reach into the All Spark and take the Sparks of long dead Transformers.))_

* * *

"Thus, I took the Spark of the Autobot Tempest, herself a former Decepticon, and created Dark Steel. Taking precautions, I altered her meta processor to ensure loyalty to Thunderwing. It was more for myself than for her."

Megatron smirked after being regaled by Shockwave's story. "All this time, you've been in hiding. I'm willing to assume that the Darkened Shockwave that was destroyed on Earth was nothing more than your duplicate."

"That is not an illogical assumption." Shockwave claimed.

"And for what have you been waiting so long to achieve?" Megatron asked.

"An opportunity, to correct the greatest mistake made by Unicron; the creation of Galvatron." Shockwave stated, earing himself a wary glare from Megatron.

"Interesting, but now that we've gotten the details out of the way, now would be a good time to release me from my bonds." Megatron said.

"I am afraid that I can not do that, not yet at least," Shockwave stated before transforming back into his Tarantulas persona. "As long as Thunderwing remains in command of the Harbinger, attempting a mutiny is too great a risk. I need to keep up appearances until the time is right, although I do grow tired of this current form."

Megatron wasn't hiding his displeasure, even trying to force the restrains off. But he calmed down and replied, "Very well then… _Tarantulas._ Continue to play your games with Thunderwing. When the time is right, the Decepticons will rise again."

Tarantulas, in Shockwave's voice, declared, "All hail Megatron."

Unbeknownst to them, Dark Steel was standing by the entrance to the infirmary. She heard everything, even the truth about her true identity and that of Tarantulas. Her instincts told her to warn Thunderwing straight away, but conflict welled within her. Thunderwing likely had no idea of Tarantulas' duel identity, but he might have been aware of her former self. The one true thing was this; Breakaway was right. Dark Steel was Tempest, and that was the conflict that left her almost paralyzed by indecision. Dark Steel needed to figure out her next move…fast.

* * *

The wind blew all around Optimus Prime as he traveled along the icy tundra of the Arctic Circle. The snow tires did their job in keeping his vehicle form on a straight and narrow path, but his headlights labored against the front blowing into his grill. But Optimus trudged on, the mission to find the Star Saber ever paramount. He slowed his advance and transformed, bringing his arm up to shield his optics against the frost. He checked the tracking device. It pinged him onto a general direction, but with the whiteout condition it was a challenge just to move forward. As he prepared to continue on, Optimus Prime was already well aware of the undesired company.

"I gave orders to remain at Autobot City, Arcee." Optimus said loud over the howling wind, and he turned to spot Arcee approaching him.

"I'm well aware of those orders, but I had to come," she claimed, stepping with laborious effort against the wind. "Thunderwing needs to answer for his crimes."

"Hotrod would not want for you to risk your life in the pursuit of revenge." Optimus Prime stated.

"It's not revenge I'm looking for. It's justice. Look, I know you mean well by going it alone, but even you can't possibly find the Star Saber here. You could benefit by having an extra set of optics." Arcee explained, and she had to shout over the howling wind and front.

"Arcee…"

"You can reprimand me later, Optimus. Either way, I staying right here to help you whether you like or not." Arcee declared, and Optimus knew she'd made her decision and intended to stick to it.

At last, Optimus Prime said, "Very well, but stay close. It will be too easy for one of us to become lost in the storm. Let us push forward."

"Which way is forward?" Arcee quipped.

Optimus checked the tracking device again. After looking in a general direction, he pointed and said, "Northwest. Roll out."

They transformed and pushed onward across the tundra with nothing but the snowstorm to challenge them. With any luck, they would find the Star Saber and find it as soon as possible.

* * *

Ultra Magnus approached Cerebros and Highbrow with a sense of urgency to match the call he'd received moments ago. "What's the problem, Cerebros?"

"We're detecting a small group of energy signatures approaching the city from the southwest. I've tried making contact but whoever it is isn't responding." Cerebros said.

"Decepticons?" Ultra Magnus asked Highbrow.

"Unlikely. These signatures are dissimilar with anything on Talatraan II's database. They seem to be much more manufactured than normal." Highbrow stated.

"We were manufactured… by the Quintessons. Are you suggesting that they're back?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"No, this is different. These signatures have a very different element to them from the Quintessons. They're more," Highbrow halted and tried to find the right word to use. Then he said, "…human."

Ultra Magnus was left perplexed when he received a call from Jazz. _"Hey Magnus, I think we got us some visitors at the front entrance. You might want to take look at these guys."_

"On my way, Jazz. Have Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Crosshairs meet me at the front entrance," Ultra Magnus said and returned his attentions to Cerebros and Highbrow. "Highbrow, I want you keep scanning the new arrivals for anything out of the ordinary, anything at all."

"Understood, Magnus." Highbrow said.

"And Cerebros, see if you can make contact with the Wreckers, just in case if we need them back from their current mission."

"Consider it done." Cerebros said.

As he left, Ultra Magnus muttered to himself, "Arcee picked a bad time to go after Optimus."

* * *

Jazz, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Crosshairs were at the front entrance for some time before Ultra Magnus arrived. Ultra Magnus marveled at the new arrivals; five unique shaped but similarly colored vehicles rested in front of the Autobots. He stepped in front of the trio of Autobots with his hammer held in his right hand, the head resting on the steel ground. Crosshairs had his rifle ready and loaded and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe followed suit. Ultra Magnus took a step forward and one of the vehicles suddenly transformed directly in front of him. The Autobots reacted defensively but Magnus waved them off. Then the other new arrivals transformed into robotic forms and Magnus took another step forward. He noticed the lack of insignia on each of them, raising more question than he had answers for.

"My name is Ultra Magnus, Second-in-Command of the Autobots. You're not registered in our databases as Autobot or Decepticon. So who are you and what are you doing here?"

There was no answer provided by the apparent leader of the group and Crosshairs whispered to Magnus, "Maybe we should show little bit of force, let them know that we're not playing."

"Let's keep the hostility to a minimum, Crosshairs," Ultra Magnus whispered back before looking at the group of robots. "I'll say it again; identify yourselves. Are you Autobot or Decepticon?"

Instead of an answer, a burst of electricity shot forth passed the robots and stuck Ultra Magnus without warning. Ultra Magnus felt the surge throughout his chassis before he was flung back. He fell onto Sunstreaker and Sideswipe while Jazz and Crosshairs looked back at the robots. Another bolt of electricity shot forth, this time striking Jazz and sending him flying into the city wall. Crosshairs looked back and attempted to fire his rifle but he too was jolted and fell to the ground. The Technobots parted like the Red Sea and Josie Beller stepped forward, her body crackling with electrical surges thanks to her new enhancements.

"Neither," she replied to Ultra Magnus' previous question and then refocused.

She sent two massive electric surges into Scattershot and Strafe and they leapt into the air. They transformed into their respective alternate form and flew up above the city. They opened fire on the city, peppering it was laser fire. Josie sent surges into Afterburner and Lightspeed next, and they transformed into their alternate forms and race across the ground toward the entrance to the city. Jazz and Crosshairs tried to stop them but they were quickly knocked out of the way.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe quickly opened fire on the rogue robots and Afterburner spun back around and raced right for them. He weaved in between their shot at so reckless a speed that the Autobots weren't sure where he was going. Afterburner raced around them in a circle, moving too fast for Sunstreaker or Sideswipe to get a clear shot on him. So they didn't see Lightspeed racing right toward them. Lightspeed knocked Sideswipe down and distracted Sunstreaker for Afterburner to do the same.

Josie gave one more jolt to Nosecone, who transformed and a made for the front entrance at a slower pace than the others. Ultra Magnus recovered and, with his hammer in both hand, charged right for Nosecone. He swung his hammer and bashed the spinning drill, slowing Nosecone but not stopping him. Another swing led to another slow down, but Nosecone kept coming. Magnus tried one more swing and finally got Nosecone off his treads, but Strafe suddenly fired on Magnus without warning.

Ultra Magnus dropped his hammer and dove to one side, but he left himself open for Scattershot to approach. To his surprise, Scattershot assumed a stationary cannon form and fire. Ultra Magnus had no time to react and was blasted hard into the wall, leaving a massive indentation on the wall. Nosecone righted himself and continued his approach toward the front entrance, drilling a hole into the gate.

Scattershot and Strafe continued their hit and run maneuvers above the city, blasting the towers nearest to their proximity. Lightspeed and Afterburner weaved back and forth around the city parameter shooting the wall and causing serious damage. They halted their assault to focus again on Jazz, Crosshairs, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, transforming midway in their approach and repeatedly knocking them down. Sideswipe managed to avoid a blow from Afterburner and then caught him on the rebound. Lightspeed made a move but Sunstreaker quickly stopped him.

Neither of them was prepared for Nosecone to burst out of the steel ground, opening a gaping hole that sent them tumbling down into a cavern below. Nosecone transformed along with Afterburner and Lightspeed and the trio of Technobots were suddenly under fire by Jazz and Crosshairs. A barrage of laser fire peppered the Technobots before Scattershot and Strafe opened fire on the three Autobots. A blast from their collective fire sent Jazz and Crosshairs flying to the ground, scorched badly but still alive.

Ultra Magnus recovered enough to stand but found himself suddenly surrounded by the Technobots. Picking up his hammer, he readied himself for the beating to come. It came hard and fast. Strafe moved in first with a straight punch that missed, leaving him open for Magnus to jabbed him with the hilt of his hammer. He swung the hammer and bashed Strafe away from him, and then he avoided a roundhouse kick from Afterburner. He swung his hammer again and hit Afterburner in the face, then used head to swing him around. Afterburner felt onto Strafe as he was recovering.

Lightspeed and Nosecone moved in together in an attempted to double team Ultra Magnus, but the City Commander beat them back with his hammer one by one. He wasn't about to go down with a fight, and fight he did. He beat back Lightspeed and Nosecone easily. Then he had Scattershot drive his shoulder into him without warning. Ultra Magnus dropped his hammer but recovered in time to take a brief pummeling from Scattershot. They traded blows back and forth and landed solid shot, but it was Ultra Magnus gaining the upper hand. That was up until Josie Beller interfered.

She sent another surge of power into the Technobots and they all ganged up on Ultra Magnus. He continued to fight them off ferociously, even managed to knock a couple of them down, but the numbers advantage was in favor of the Technobots. The Technobots took turns beating Ultra Magnus repeatedly leaving his chassis dented and scratched all over. He still tried to fight back, managing to punch away at the nearest foe: Strafe. Lightspeed and Nosecone hammered on Magnus but he managed to throw one of them into the other. But Afterburner was the most vicious, relentlessly pummeling Ultra Magnus before being joined by Scattershot. They had Magnus down and they stomped on him, but they failed to notice Sideswipe and Sunstreaker climbing their way out of the hole from earlier.

Their efforts to help Ultra Magnus made no different as both were suddenly assaulted by a surge of electricity shot unto them by Josie Beller. She assaulted them with more and more electrical surges until they ultimately could move. Then she levitated off the ground and hovered toward the Technobots, passing and assaulting Jazz and Crosshairs along the way. She stopped at the gate and currents of electricity crackled around her, and it seemed likely on instinct that the Technobots huddled around her.

Ultra Magnus tried to move but he was so battered that it was next to impossible. He addressed Josie directly, "Beller… what're… what're you doing?"

Josie brought hand left hand up and it crackled with power. "Making things right." She snarled before assaulting Ultra Magnus with a barrage of electrical surges.

Ultra Magnus screamed and convulsed from the onslaught, as if his pain receptors were being overwhelmed to the point of malfunctioning or exploding. Josie increased the onslaught, almost taking a twisted pleasure in what she was doing. In fact she was enjoying it… too much. Whatever humanity still dwelled within her compelled her to halt her attack, leaving Ultra Magnus heavily scorched but alive. He'd just fell into stasis lock, the closest equivalent to a coma. Josie didn't care. The one and only thing that mattered to her was revenge against everyone and everything that wronged her, in her mind anyway. This was just the beginning as she addressed the Technobots.

"Move into the city. Kill every Autobot is sight… and then we burn this city to the ground." she ordered. The Technobots entered the city one by one and Josie followed. Hell was coming for the Autobots.

* * *

Author's Note: Like I said, it pretty much took me forever to get this chapter finished with the myriad of distractions around me. Anyways…

First and foremost, it's the return of Shockwave. I flirted with the idea of bringing Shockwave back and I thought the best to do that was to reveal that Tarantulas is an alternate identity TFA-style. As explained in the flashback, the Darkened Shockwave that was destroyed in the previous story was a duplicate. So this isn't a reformatted Shockwave, this is the real, Honest to Primus Shockwave.

The flashback also explains, albeit briefly, the origins of the Harbinger crew as well as how Tempest became Dark Steel via Spark Extractor. Speaking of which, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to the All Spark.

Another reference is from TFP with Optimus Pimr being joined in the Arctic Circle by Arcee.

Finally, the Technobots finally see some action by beating the gears out of some of the Autobots, and Josie is all rage and hatred going into the next chapter. So review if you will and stay tuned for more. Peace!


	19. Fury Of The Storm

Disclaimer: Wow, I'm really sorry for the long wait due to a myriad of distractions everywhere. But here's the next chapter, sans the witty one-liners. I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XIX

Triage knew something was wrong when the lights suddenly went out in the infirmary. Verity immediately got the back up systems online for Hotrod while Triage made a try to contact Ultra Magnus. All he received was static. He and Verity were unaware than at that very moment, Ultra Magnus and several other Autobots were outside the city wall and completely incapacitated. The short wave communications system was likely still working due to being on a separate power source, and Triage used it to contact Cerebros in the comm. tower.

"Cerebros, the lights shut down here in the infirmary and I can't contact Ultra Magnus. What's going on?" he asked.

" _I don't know, Triage. My long-range communications systems are down as well. You and Verity had best stay in the infirmary with Hotrod."_ Cerebros stated.

"You're not telling me anything I don't already know. Triage out."

"Hotrod's vitals are still holding, Triage. But that doesn't make me feel any better about the lights going out." Verity said.

"Let's just lock down the infirmary. If this is a Decepticon attack, we need to keep Hotrod safe." Triage stated.

"What about Daniel? I'm not leaving him out there." Verity said and rushed out of the infirmary before Triage could stop her.

"Humans." Triage muttered in annoyance before giving chase.

Elita One was in the Ground Bridge area with Bumblebee, Brainstorm and Breakaway, and they were trying to figure what just happened. The Ground Bridge was suddenly shut down. When Highbrow later joined them, he confirmed that Talatraan II was also shut down. The entire city was dark for unexplained reasons, but Elita One surmised that this and Ultra Magnus' sudden radio silence weren't coincidence.

Brainstorm and Highbrow tried to get some systems working with the aid of Spike and Carly. Chip joined them while Bumblebee, Breakaway and Marissa headed out of the room to find out what had happened to Ultra Magnus and the others. One thing was for certain; without the Ground Bridge, there was no way of bringing Optimus Prime and Arcee back from the Arctic Circle.

As they continued down the hall, the Autobots and Marissa suddenly stopped in their tracks. They heard something odd within the steel walls. It sounded like a whirling engine and it was something none of them recognized right away. The sound was drawing ever closer to them and getting louder with every second. Then the floor began to burst out with bits of shrapnel and steel jutting every which way. Bumblebee and Breakaway immediately took a defensive stance with Marissa staying behind them.

They waited for something to happen akin to a Decepticon attack, and then a futuristic two-wheeled vehicle, otherwise known as Afterburner, shot up out of the hole and slammed into Bumblebee. Bumblebee felt back while Afterburner roared passed him. A drilling vehicle, Nosecone, emerged out of the hole followed by a red futuristic car, Lightspeed. Two more robots, Scattershot and Strafe, in turn followed the car. Scattershot transformed into a stationary cannon and fired on Breakaway. Breakaway grabbed Marissa and jumped clear of the blast, which hit the farthest wall behind them. Strafe transformed into a futuristic jet and fired a set of rockets at Breakaway, both of which missed their target.

In the Ground Bridge area, Elita One, Highbrow and Brainstorm were caught off guard Lightspeed and Afterburner. Afterburner recklessly drove circles around the three Autobots, which should've been next to impossible in such close quarters. Lightspeed revved his engines and rushed straight ahead, slamming directly into Brainstorm before he knew what hit him. Strafe emerged hovered outside of the area and fired a rocket, striking the control to the Ground Bridge. Afterburner rounded around and rushed straight and Elita One, transforming mid-way and kicking her into the wall.

Back in the hallway, Bumblebee recovered and transformed into his vehicle form. Scattershot and Nosecone, also in their alternate modes, waited for the yellow car to rush them. Bumblebee did that, pushing full force passed Nosecone and straight for Scattershot. The yellow car hit the cannon, forcing Scattershot to transform back to his bipedal form. Bumblebee returned to his robot form and starting slugging Scattershot with vicious jabs to the head and torso. Nosecone began to turn toward them but he was suddenly hit with a rifle shot from Breakaway.

Nosecone transformed from the impact just as Breakaway sprinted toward him. They collided, but it was Breakaway who won the initial collision. He landed a series of strikes while Bumblebee continued beating Scattershot. Marissa recovered and pulled out her sidearm. She fired on Strafe while he was still in his jet form, but he turned toward her and hovered in her direction. Marissa kept shooting despite the bullets bouncing off the hull of the jet. Out of nowhere, Highbrow emerged from the control area grabbed hold of Strafe's wings. Strafe transformed and tossed Highbrow against the wall, pinning him there. Marissa continued shooting her gun at Strafe until she exhausted the clip and had to reload. By that time, Strafe had already returned his attention to her.

He released Highbrow and approached Marissa, morphing his right arm into a gun barrel. Marissa backed up a few steps but kept her gun trained on Strafe. Before she pulled the trigger, Strafe was suddenly blasted back and dropped to the floor. Marissa looked behind her and saw Triage standing there with Verity rushing passed him. She passed by Marissa before she knew what was happening and made it to the control area. Daniel was hunkered down into a corner with his parents and Chip, while Elita One and Brainstorm did their best to fight off Lightspeed and Afterburner.

"Daniel, c'mon. This way." she shouted over the loud crashes of metal.

Elita One conveyed the message to Spike. "Spike, get your people someplace safe in the city. We can handle this. Go."

Without hesitating, Spike gathered Carly, Daniel and Chip and rushed for the exit where they reached Verity and Marissa. Bumblebee, still fighting with Scattershot, shouted, "Triage, go. Get them out of here, now."

"You heard him, everyone. To the infirmary, ASAP." Triage said and gathered the humans.

The Autobots continued to hold off the Technobots while Triage escorted the humans away from the fighting. Chip, due to his metal leg braces, was slower than the other. Spike hung back to help his friend while they both looked back. The Autobots were holding their own thus far and managed to keep the Technobots at bay. That was up until an unexpected bolt of electricity shot out from the breach in the floor. The streak was fast and fluid but had a vicious arc to it, as if it was controlled by another force. It struck the closest Autobot, Highbrow, in the leg and shorted him out. Elita One was the next to fall to a blast of electricity.

The arc darted along the floor and reached Chip and Spike and while Spike was otherwise unharmed, Chip collapsed to the floor. He instantly reached for his legs and found to his horror that they were completely unresponsive. Paralysis had set in. Chip and Spike looked back toward the breach for the source of the electrical assault and neither of them could believe their own eyes. Josie Beller emerged from the breach, with most of her body covered with steel and bathed in surges of electricity. Verity and Carly rushed to help the two men up while Josie Beller levitated toward them.

"What's wrong, Chip? You look like you've see a ghost." she snarled while her hands surged and crackled with uncontained power.

"Beller, what the hell happened to you?" Chip asked.

"Take a guess!" Josie snapped and prepared to unleash a surge against Chip.

Breakaway acted quickly and fired a shot at Josie, striking the floor in front of her. The ensuing blast distracted Josie long enough for Spike and Carly to help Chip up and carry him away. Verity, Daniel and Marissa followed them while Triage took up the rear to defend them. Josie recovered from the distraction long enough to see they were already out of sight. Enrage, she turned her anger toward the Autobots.

She targeted Breakaway first and unleashed an assault of surges. Breakaway was able to avoid several of the surges and fired back at Josie. Josie was thrown back by a blast and fell on her back, but she used her power to influence Strafe and Nosecone to advance on Breakaway. Breakaway fired on the two Technobots before Nosecone reached him first. Nosecone tried to use his drill, but Breakaway was able to beat him back. It gave Strafe a window to attack and he tackled Breakaway to the floor. Before they could finish off the Autobot, Brainstorm emerged from the Ground Bridge area.

Josie was about to unleash a surge before Elita One recovered and fired a few shots at her. This time, Afterburner attacked Elita One while Lightspeed joined Scattershot in attacking Bumblebee. Highbrow, despite his injured leg, intervened to help Bumblebee. Elita One beat back Afterburner and rushed to help Breakaway and Brainstorm. They managed to overpower Strafe and Nosecone before they saw Josie recovering. Brainstorm fired a shot that sent Josie to the floor again, but Josie recovered quickly. She watched angrily as the Autobots were fighting off the Technobots, beating her creations at her own game.

With electricity traveling through her body, Josie unleashed a huge power surge that enveloped the entire space. The surge jolted the Autobots and left them in pain, while it empowered the Technobots and caused them to fight harder. Nosecone and Strafe quickly overpowered Elita One, Breakaway and Brainstorm despite the numbers advantage being in the Autobot's favor. Josie blasted the Autobots with a series of surges; Elita One was thrown into the wall while Brainstorm and Breakaway collapsed to the floor.

Josie turned her attention to Bumblebee and Highbrow and blasted them with surges. Highbrow took the worst of the attack but Bumblebee was barely able to get clear. Bumblebee fired several shots at Scattershot and Lightspeed and managed to strike the latter, but it was Scattershot that managed to put Bumblebee down. On Josie's command, the Technobots regrouped around the lone Autobot. Bumblebee looked toward the other Autobots and saw them to be incapacitated, while the Technobots surrounded him. Then with a clench of her fist, the Technobots advanced on Bumblebee, who was ready to fight for all he was worth.

A suddenly volley of laser fire surprised the Technobots and drove them back. Bumblebee looked back and to his relief, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Crosshairs rushed toward him. The three Autobots, despite being previously thrashed by the Technobots, made a beeline for the intruding machines. Crosshairs was front and center, shooting rapid-fire slugs at the front-most Technobots: Afterburner and Nosecone. Sideswipe transformed into his vehicle form and raced passed Bumblebee before colliding with Scattershot. Sunstreaker blasted Lightspeed and Strafe before he helped Bumblebee to his feet.

"You good, Bee?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Mostly. Where're Jazz and Magnus?" Bumblebee asked back.

Sideswipe replied, "They're still out of commission outside, but they're alive."

"That's enough of the yammering, boys. Let's start busting some steel." Crosshairs snapped in a gung-ho rant.

"I don't have time for this," Josie snarled and jolted the Technobots once again to get them ready for another fight. "Technobots, finish them off. I've got my own business to handle."

Levitating off the floor, Josie went in the opposite direction and it took the Autobots less than a second to determine where she was going. She was going for their human allies, and Bumblebee instinctively attempted to move after her. The Technobots prevented his advance and prompted a continuation of the all out brawl that took over. Josie didn't look back toward the fight. She wanted the humans; she wanted Chip Chase and she wasn't going to halt her advance until she found him and killed him and the Witwicky family. They were traitors to their own species, and as far as Josie was concerned, traitors didn't deserve to live.

* * *

Optimus Prime and Arcee continued their journey through the icy wastes of the Arctic Circle, but it was as though they were no closer to finding the precise location of the Star Saber. Throughout the trek, the two Autobots periodically transformed from their vehicle forms to their robot form to conserve as much of their fuel as possible. The one saving grace was that the blinding snowstorms that came and went were few and far between. There was no real danger of either of them freezing to death. Optimus Prime had his fill of death anyway.

Currently, they were driving along the tundra. Arcee had some trouble keeping up with Optimus since she didn't have snow tires like Optimus did. This prompted Optimus to slow he movement to keep Arcee close. Despite the snowstorm not being as brutal as expected, the wind turned out to be a more present issue. Frost was slamming into the two vehicles and while Optimus continued with little difficulty, Arcee was slipping to and fro. They finally stopped and transformed, and Optimus took that moment to scan his surrounding. Arcee came up next to him while shielding her optics from the frost.

"It's getting to be too much out here, Optimus. Hate to say it, but we might have to call for a return to the city." Arcee said loudly enough for Optimus to hear her.

"We cannot give up now, Arcee. The fate of the world rests on locating the Star Saber." Optimus Prime replied.

"But we can barely see anything in this frost and I'm not keen on another major storm hitting us." Arcee replied back, and Optimus inwardly agreed with her.

Pressing his fingers to his head, Optimus made the call. "Optimus Prime calling Autobot City, do you read me," He waited for a reply but he only received static. "This is Optimus Prime calling Autobot City. Are you receiving this transmission, over?" Again, there was only static.

Arcee pressed her fingers to her head. "Arcee to Autobot City, is anyone receiving this? Cerebros, do you read me? Brainstorm? Anybody," Like Optimus, she only received static. "Something's not right, Optimus."

"Agreed. Cerebros would not simply cut communications regardless of any number of reasons." Optimus Prime replied.

"If we can't contact the city, they can't bridge us back when we're ready to go. We're effectively stranded up here in this blinding white out. So, what do we do?" Arcee said.

Optimus Prime looked around against the white out condition that seemed to taunt him. "We have no other alternative, Arcee. We need to continue our search for the Star Saber."

"We don't even know where we are or how far we are from the Star Saber. What if we came all the way out here for nothing?"

"We cannot give up now, Arcee." Optimus Prime stated and continued along the tundra. Arcee, reluctantly, followed him.

* * *

"Captain," Wingspan and Pounce collectively called out to Thunderwing. "You asked us to monitor the energon readings of Autobot's home base, yes?"

Thunderwing approached the twins and said, "Yes, I did. What's the problem?"

"Well, those readings have seemingly vanished from all sensors, and we can't work around with any alternatives." Wingspan stated.

"We did pick up a pair of readings typically associated with interdimensional travel, point-to-point." Pounce added.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would the Autobots suddenly go dark?" Tigatron asked.

Thunderwing thought for a moment before he came to a conclusion. "Optimus Prime; he's found it. Wingspan and Pounce, calculate the last known destination of Optimus Prime's interdimensional travel."

"Already have. Initial results that Opimus Prime travel to an area above the planet's northern hemisphere." Wingspan said, but Thunderwing was already on his way out.

He nearly bumped into Dark Steel on his way out and kept going. "Where're you going, Captain?"

"To Earth. Optimus Prime may have located the Star Saber and I intend to take from him." Thunderwing said.

"Thunderwing," Dark Steel called out, stopping Thunderwing cold. "This whole thing with the Star Saber is getting out of control. There's more going on than you realize, and you'd see it if you actually opened your optics."

Thunderwing looked back at Dark Steel and said, "What are you talking about?"

"Tarantulas, Captain. He's not who he claims to be. You'd see that if you were so obsessed with the Star Saber." Dark Steel explained.

Thunderwing lunged forward, grasped Dark Steel by her neck and pinned her to the wall. "I don't have time to entertain your fantasies like they're some human-created fictional story. Nothing is anymore important that the Star Saber, not even you," he dropped Dark Steel to the floor. "You'd be wise to remember that."

Then Thunderwing stormed away from the bridge and left Dark Steel to recover. Of all the crewmembers, only Tigatron approached her. He'd ignored the rabid protestations of Skullcrusher and helped Dark Steel to her feet. Dark Steel looked back down the corridor, knowing by now that Thunderwing was likely already off the _Harbinger_. She was right; Thunderwing was so obsessed with the Star Saber that he couldn't see clearly. But she could; her optics were open like never before. It seemed like the only one who'd believe her now was Tigatron.

"What was that all about?" Tigatron asked.

Dark Steel was finally upright. "He doesn't see what happening, Tigatron. Tarantulas is _not_ Tarantulas. And… I'm not really Dark Steel."

"Dark Steel, you're not making any sense." Tigatron said.

Dark Steel looked back at the bridge and saw that none of the crew were paying much attention. "There's a lot that hasn't made sense recently. I need you to trust me right now, Tigatron."

"I do, but you have to tell me what happening." Tigatron replied.

Giving the bridge another look back, Dark Steel said, "Come with me and listen carefully."

* * *

Triage hustled the humans down the corridor toward the infirmary but also heard the crackle of electrical surges getting ever closer to them. He had Chip in his hands, carrying the paralyzed human while Spike, Carly, Daniel, Verity and Marissa ran ahead of them. The group rounded a corner and continued down the corridor, and moments later, Josie Beller rounded that same corner with a fast but purposeful stride. Marissa suddenly hung back and then slowed to a halt, gun in hand. She armed her gun and turned around, and it quickly dawned on everyone that she intended to face Josie head on.

Rather than try to stop her, they kept going without pause. Marissa didn't blame them for running, but she was sick and tired of running. It was time to fight back because in her mind, it was the same thing William would've done. Marissa could see Josie approaching her, arcs of electrical surges bursting around her. She stopped several meters away from Marissa, who outstretched her gun straight, while Triage hustled the humans around another corner.

Verity peaked back around and watched the standoff. "Is she out of her mind? She can't fight that bitch."

"That's not exactly encouraging, Verity. C'mon." Daniel said and pulled Verity.

The standoff between Josie and Marissa was as tense as one could get. "Stand down, Beller."

"Get out of my way, Fairborne," Josie rebutted and surged power from her fist. "You won't like what I do to you if you don't."

"No, I guess I won't." Marissa murmured and raised her gun higher.

"It's your funeral." Josie snarled and sent a jolt of electricity straight at Marissa.

Marissa bounded out of the way of the surge and let it strike the spot where she stood. She rolled along the floor before rising back up to a knee and fired off several shots. The shot never reached Josie, instead vaporizing before coming anywhere close. Undeterred, Marissa fired off more shots if only to slow Josie down. But Josie advanced slowing, throwing surges all over the corridor and making Marissa dodged back and forth. Then she finally landed an arc, destroying Marissa's gun and also sending a small but powerful jolt through Marissa.

Marissa fell back to the floor, holding her left arm. Her arm was instantly covered in burns and the sleeve of her jacket burned off. The pain was horrific, excruciating, unbearable and any other word Marissa could've used to describe. She looked back and saw Daniel and Verity looking on in terror. The two young adults suddenly vanished around the corner. Verity was looking around for something that could help Marissa while Daniel looked on with confusion.

"What are you doing, Verity?" Daniel asked.

Verity found a console, actually the console she was looking for and opened it to reveal some controls. "I'm activating the fire suppressant systems."

"But the power's out." Daniel stated when he reached Verity.

Verity found some wires and pulled them out. "Then I'll have to hotwire it. Got a knife."

"I do." Triage suddenly said and deployed a medical needle, using it to cut the wires.

Meanwhile, Josie stalked the injured Marissa as she tried to crawl away. She stated remorselessly, "You know if you weren't associated with the aliens, I'd feel sorry for you."

"I'd feel sorry for you if you were still human." Marissa shot back, but Josie was unmoved and prepared to finish her off.

Back around the corner, Daniel said, "Verity, hurry."

"Almost… GOT IT!" Verity crossed the right wires.

Instantly, the fire suppressant systems activated just as Josie formed an arc of electricity. Water rained down into the corridor and soaked everyone within the confines. Marissa moved away while Josie's body was shorted out from the water. Against the indoor downpour, Josie struggled and convulsed and sent sparks flying around. Within a matter of moments, Josie was standing inert and unable to make more than a few inches forward. Eventually, she was completely paralyzed, and Marissa approached her while still holding her injured arm. Josie was still breathing and apparently cursing Marissa under her breath. Marissa responded by punching Josie out and sending her to the floor unconscious.

Marissa murmured, "Ow!"

Verity, Daniel and Triage approached Marissa and Verity checked Marissa's arm. "We'd better get this burn patched up."

" _Elita One to Triage, do you read me?"_

Triage received the short-wave call. "Elita, we're here. Is everything okay?"

" _Yeah, but the strangest thing happened; these robots that attacked us suddenly shut down. What's going on?"_

"We've taken out the source. I need you to bring the wounded to the infirmary as soon as possible." Triage said.

Marissa knelt over the fallen Josie as she was still slightly convulsing from the pain, while Spike returned with Chip over his shoulder and Carly behind them. Chip was beyond shocked when he took a close look at Josie, asking out loud. "What kind of monster would do this?"

Josie murmured something that wasn't a reply but an expression that everyone present could all clearly hear. "I… hate you. I hate you. I hate… all of you."

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, the ending was bit on the cheesy side, but I think this latest chapter came out nicely as a whole. I'll hold off on the major details of the chapter and let you review it. See ya, bye.


	20. Fractured

Disclaimer: Sorry, y'all. I've been feeling kind of off lately with so many distractions on my plate. At this point, I'm likely going to taking a sabbatical after this chapter. Here's the next chapter; bear with me if it's not the best.

* * *

Chapter XX

Dark Steel and Tigatron reached a concealed area of the corridor leading to the bridge and hid there. Tigatron quickly asked, "What's going on with you, Dark Steel?"

Dark Steel looked around to make sure no one ales was around be she explained, "We're in trouble, Tigatron. Tarantulas isn't who he says he is."

"What are you talking about? You're not making sense." Tigatron said.

"He's a Decepticon called Shockwave. _Tarantulas_ is a just a persona, and he's the real threat. He created the _Harbinger's_ crew, the Terrorcons, the Twins…and me."

"You?"

"The Autobot that was on the ship earlier… he called me Tempest. He said I was like him. Tarantulas, or Shockwave, somehow took my Spark and put into this body to create me. And Megatron is already fully aware of it." Dark Steel explained.

Tigatron could only stare at Dark Steel in stunned silent before her said, "You're sure about this."

"Yes, I'm sure. Shockwave's been playing us from the beginning. I don't know what he's planning but it's a sure bet that Megatron is involved." Dark Steel said.

Tigatron considered the news before he said, "We should warn Thunderwing…"

"Thunderwing won't listen, Tigatron, you know that. You know he's obsessed with getting the Star Saber and he won't let anything else distract him," Dark Steel exclaimed and gathered herself. After considering other options, she added, "We need the Autobots."

Tigatron was taken aback by the idea that Dark Steel presented him and he replied, "You want to get the Autobots involved? Thunderwing won't go for that. The crew won't go for that. It'll be considered treason; Thunderwing would have us scrapped without a second consideration."

"At this point, we may not have a choice. But I think we can trust the Autobots, because the one that was on this ship, Breakaway… I think he was my Spark mate," Dark Steel stated and further stunned Tigatron. "Look, you don't have to go through with this. I'll do it all by myself, but you have to be off this ship before something happens."

Tigatron shook his head and replied, "No way. I'm not about to let you go through with this alone. But first, we've got to figure out how to contact the Autobots. The city's gone dark and…"

"What's going on here?" A ravenous voice bellowed, and Hun-Gr appeared around the corner.

"This has nothing to do with you, Hun-Gr." Dark Steel claimed before she and Tigatron turned to leave. But the rest of the Terrorcons were blocking them.

"That's where you're wrong. Thunderwing will want to question when he returns. But I can't promise my brothers will leave anything left of you." Hun-Gr threatened while his Terrorcons snarled and snapped at them.

Dark Steel and Tigatron watched the Terrorcons surround them in a circle and assumed their beastly forms. Going back-to-back, Dark Steel and Tigatron tried first waiting for the Terrorcons to strike. But they didn't, instead trying to intimidate them. Blot and Sinnertwin snapped at the duo while Cutthroat flew over them and Hun-Gr and Rippersnapper snarled and stalked them. Tired of waiting, Dark Steel and Tigatron deployed their guns and fired on the Terrorcons before they had a chance to react.

Tigatron transformed and pounced on Rippersnapper first, mauling him with brutal claw swipes across the beastly face. Dark Steel transformed and shrieked before she engaged Hun-Gr and Sinnertwin. She swiped and snapped at them before grabbing Sinnertwin by his leg and pulling. Sinnertwin was spun around and thrown into Blot, while Cutthroat took to the air and attempted to attack from above. Tigatron leapt up and slammed into Cutthroat, bringing him back down. With the Terrorcons down temporarily, Dark Steel and Tigatron made their escape.

The Terrorcons quickly fell into pursuit of the duo, during which point that Hun-Gr sounded an alarm that bellowed throughout the ship. Dark Steel and Tigatron ignored the alarm and rushed down the corridor. Along the way, they trampled over Apeface and Snapdragon with heedlessness, uncaring of whether or not they survived. They did and managed to get clear of the Terrorcons as they rushed passed them.

Dark Steel and Tigatron made it to the hanger bay, ironically where Breakaway had hidden himself when he first entered the ship. Transforming at the same time, Tigatron started opening the hatch before he Dark Steel aimed their guns back toward the bay entrance. They heard a loud crashing noise that was approaching and expected the Terrorcons to run full bore into the bay. They got the Terrorcons, only now the beasts had combined into Abominus.

"TRAITORS… GO… NOWHERE." The monstrous combiner laboriously snarled.

"Dark Steel, get out of here." Tigatron urged her as they inched along the edge of the open hanger doors.

"Scrap that, Tigatron. I'm not leaving you here to die." Dark Steel vehemently declared.

"I figured you'd say that. But I'm not giving you a choice." Tigatron stated and before Dark Steel knew what happened, he pushed against her as hard as he could.

Dark Steel fell from the solid floor of the hanger bay and out into space. Gravity took hold almost immediately and she tried to return to the Harbinger. But Tigatron was already a step ahead. He'd hit the control and the bay doors closed. The doors were too close together for Dark Steel to attempt reentering the ship. For a brief moment, she could see Tigatron trying to fight Abominus on his own, and it grieved her to know that he couldn't possibly survive against that monster. It grieved her even more that she could nothing to help.

But with her options ever so limited, Dark Steel had no alterative but to travel to Earth. Assuming her griffin form, she flew down toward the world and carried with her a small bit of hope that the Autobots could help her. It was only a question of whether or not they'd listen to her.

* * *

Beaten and battered, Tigatron was dragged to the infirmary by the Terrorcons and then dropped to the metal floor with a heavy clang. Tigatron considered himself to be fortunate to be alive, but his luck seemed to dwindle down to nothing once he saw unfamiliar legs. He looked up, expecting for a split moment to see Tarantulas looking down on him. Instead, he locked optics with a single optic where a face should've been.

It was Shockwave standing over him, and without a face, Tigatron couldn't tell if there was even the slightest hint of contempt. Then the heavy footstep of another Transformer sounded out behind him. Megatron appeared beside Shockwave, unshackled and fully mobile. Unlike the faceless Shockwave, Megatron looked down with contempt at Tigatron. Tigatron slowly picked himself up but never took his optics off of Megatron.

"I don't believe we've been formally introduced." Megatron claimed with an air of arrogance in his tone.

"I know who you are, Megatron. Everyone knows the Decepticon that started Great War." Tigatron stated and willed himself to a knee.

"I started a revolution against the bureaucratic caste system that had for so long choked the life from Cybertron." Megatron claimed as though he was justifying the state of Cybertron.

Tigatron quickly rebutted, "Call it whatever you want. You and were Decepticons slaughtered thousands of innocent Cybertronians. One of them was named Cheetor."

"I doubt I'd remember the name."

"He was my younger brother. We were going to escape from the war, and your Decepticons killed him. You were cowards."

"Yet, you still managed to escape, ran away and hid instead of avenging your brother and the Cybertronians that died. And, _I'm_ the coward," Megatron then drove the back of his steel hand against the face of Tigatron. "You should take a look at your own reflection."

"What would you have me do now, Lord Megatron," Shockwave asked. "Shall I reconstruct him to suit your needs?"

Megatron considered it for a moment and then said, "Terrorcons, take this worthless pile of scrap to the brig. Let him rust away with whatever's left of Sentinel Prime."

Tigatron made no effort to fight, or maybe it was because the Terrorcons hoisting him up and taking away. When they were all gone, Shockwave said, "Lord Megatron, why keep him alive? I could easily reprogram him to follow the Decepticon cause."

"He's a pacifist, not a warrior, Shockwave. That means he's no use to either the Decepticons or the Autobots. Besides, your current project is nearing completion, is it not?"

"Correct, my liege. If you remember my previous conversation with Thunderwing, I procured two destroyed Decepticons from the barren world of Charr and reconstructed that into a single form."

"I remember. Is he almost ready?" Megatron asked.

"He is," Shockwave worked the console and a section of the wall disappeared, revealing a sleek chassis with a color scheme of silver, purple and black. "He simply requires a designation."

"Is that all," Megatron said and crept up to the new chassis. "When he wakes, we'll let him decide."

* * *

Chip counted himself lucky to have the use of his wheelchair, which the Autobots kept in storage in the city after they provided the electronic leg braces some years ago. But thanks to Josie Beller's rampage, Chip had to make do with what he had. At least he didn't need any aid to get around the halls. The chair had a small modification in the form of a level for getting around. It came in handy as Chip entered the infirmary where Spike was waiting for him.

They continued into the infirmary where Verity was busy with Marissa, wrapping her left arm in bandages to cover the burns. According to Verity, Marissa had suffered second-degree burns along the wrist and forearm up to the elbow. Her hand suffered only partial scarring but it didn't make the make any less prominent. Marissa couldn't help herself to wince with each movement of the bandages, nor did she request Verity to slow her applications.

Meanwhile, Triage had the other Autobots gathered. The sometimes-gruff medic didn't believe in miracles, but he was amazed all the same that most of the Autobots escaped serious damage. Ultra Magnus and Jazz took the worst of the assault. It wasn't enough to put either of them in stasis lock, but Triage made it clear to Elita One that neither of them would've been fit for duty.

Walking along the semi-burned out corridors, Elita One considered Triage's words carefully and concluded that until Optimus Prime returned, she was in command. It would've been the first time since she did have the experience to lead. She made her way into the Ground Bridge area where Brainstorm was working diligently to get the control functioning again. In another corner, Highbrow was studying the deactivated Technobots with Crosshairs leaned back in a corner.

Elita wasn't surprised when she approached Highbrow. "So what exactly do we have here, Highbrow?" she asked.

"What we have here is nothing short of brilliant. These Technobots seem to be hybrids of human and Cybertronian ingenuity. Remarkably and dare I say, surprisingly, well advanced. It's amazing." Highbrow stated enthusiastically.

"Not the word I'd use. These bots put Jazz and Magnus on the injured listed. Primus only knows when they'll be back on their feet." Crosshairs said with contempt toward the inactive machines.

"Is there anyway of figuring out how the humans got their hands on Cybertronian tech?" Elita One asked.

"Not without opening them up, but we risk damaging them to the point of no return." Highbrow said.

"Do it then. Put these things out of our misery."

Highbrow ignored Crosshairs and added, "On the other hand, Brainstorm and I might be able to reprogram them to ally with us."

"You've got to be fragging kidding me," Crosshairs snapped. "If you ask me, we'd be better off breaking them down to their sprockets and then melting them for extra metal."

"Well, it's good that nobody asked you, Crosshairs, but I'm not making a decision either way of what should be done with these Technobots." Elita One said and walked out of the control room.

* * *

After Verity patched her arm up, Marissa stormed through the giant halls of the city toward the detention area. It was where the Autobots placed Josie Beller, though they were very careful in doing so. When Marissa got there, she peered through the force field. Josie Beller was lying on a diagonally elevated table and appeared to be conscious. Marissa couldn't shake the wary feeling that Josie could break loose at a moments notice. Marissa listened to the sound of wheels turning over metal and knew without looking back that Chip had arrived. Chip rolled his wheelchair up beside Marissa, never once taking his eyes off the table where Josie laid almost inert.

"How's the arm?" he asked Marissa.

Marissa, with a small chuckle, replied. "It's still attached, so that's something. How're the legs?"

Chip chuckled back, "Well, I can see them. I just can't feel them."

Then it became serious as they looked into the room, and it was obvious that Josie was looking at them. "I hope you're enjoying view, Chase." she said from behind the field, her tone laced with anger.

Marissa gave Chip a small glance before stepping forward. "You're going to be staying in there for a while, so you'd best get used to the accommodations."

While Marissa was obviously spiteful of Josie after her rampage, Chip was more remorseful of what Josie had become. "Josie… who did this to you?"

"Who said anyone did this to me?" Josie snapped, avoiding the question.

"Someone had to done this. You couldn't have done this to yourself." Chip stated.

Josie leered at Chip as though she was peering into his soul. "It doesn't really matter who did this to me. I know who's responsible for me ending up like this in the first place."

"The Autobots had nothing to do with what happened in San Francisco, Beller. You went into the line of fire. You got yourself injured. You've got no one to blame to yourself." Marissa claimed.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. The aliens are responsible for everything that's happened, and that includes Seattle." Josie claimed with anger.

"You're talking one Dylan Gould, right, Josie? He was the CEO of Acureta Systems. They handled seriously cutting-edge technology. That kind of makes me wonder if that had something to do with those Technobots of yours." Chip stated.

"The Technobots were nothing but a means to an end." Josie said.

"And what end is that?" Marissa asked.

"The end of the alien's occupation on Earth," Josie declared, and she leaned as far as the table's built-in restraints would allow. "Do you understand? This isn't their planet; they don't belong here. People died for years because of them. Dylan Gould, my fiancé, died in Seattle because of them."

"I lost my fiancé too, Beller. Yet, here I am, still fighting alongside the Autobots. Why? Because they're my friends, my allies… my family. For whatever's it worth, I'm truly, truly sorry that you lost your family." Marissa said with sincerity.

Josie narrowed her eyes at Marissa and Chip, and the lights in the room seemed to flicker for a moment. "No. No, you're not… not yet."

Inwardly, Chip expected nothing less from Josie's total hatred of the Transformers and it was obvious that she was ignoring the civil division of the Autobots and Decepticons. The division between the two factions was a nonfactor; Josie simply didn't see the difference. Yet, she targeted the Autobots specifically, likely because there weren't that many Decepticons left on Earth. Any that were still alive were likely in hiding, and that worried Chip and Marissa, the latter of whom was already leaving the area. No sooner had she stepped out into the hall, Cerebros' voice chimed over the city comm.

" _We have incoming; approaching the main entrance."_

"Of course!"

* * *

Dark Steel flew low and level to avoid being shot out of the sky on her approach to Autobot City. During her approach, everything around began to look familiar, like she'd been to this particular part of the world before. In a way, she had been. More of her memories as Tempest flooded back hard and fast. It was so much to take in that Dark Steel occasionally lost her focus only to regain it. She did that just into time to reach the front entrance, transform in mid-flight and land gracefully.

No sooner had she come down, several Autobots emerged. She dropped her weapons quickly and threw her arm up to show she was unarmed. But she was relieved, at least in part, that Breakaway was among the Autobots. Breakaway was stunned to see her and involuntarily stepped right by Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. That didn't keep the two from keeping their guns trained on the intruder while Breakaway approached her.

"Hello, Breakaway." Dark Steel greeted in a surprisingly light tone.

Breakaway stepped closer, still stunned. Dark Steel looked worriedly at Sunstreaker and Sideswipe knowing that were she to do something, they'd likely react with laser fire. But oddly enough, she trusted that Breakaway would take her side. She was proven right when Breakaway motioned for Sunstreaker and Sideswipe to lower their guns. Dark Steel took that as a sign to lower her arm but she didn't risk grabbing her own weapons.

"Tempest… is that you?" Breakaway asked.

"That's still open to debate." Dark replied.

"What're you doing here?"

Dark Steel replied, "I need your help."

* * *

Optimus Prime and Arcee continued driving along the tundra against an onslaught of snow and frost, thanks to a storm that had formed without warning. It had actually gotten so bad that Arcee couldn't drive, and so she had little choice but to hitch a ride on Optimus Prime's cab. This turned out to be a benefit; Arcee had the tracking device in hand and she was using it to direct Optimus Prime. So far, they were following the right path. Arcee noticed the tracker's rate increasing and she gave Optimus a few taps on his cab, prompting the Autobot leader to halt his advance.

She stepped off to allow Optimus to transform before handing him the tracker. Optimus took the lead amid the harsh storm while he studied the pulses. They were constant now, which meant that the Star Saber had to be close by. The two Autobots tried taking in a visual point of view of their surrounding, which was difficult with the storm. Optimus alternated his gaze from the storm to the tracker and back again.

"According to the tracker, the Star Saber should be right at this location. It should be right here." Optimus Prime stated.

Arcee looked around for some sign but only saw snow. "I don't see anything. Maybe the tracker's damaged."

"No, Arcee. It is here. We just need to search for it. Everything depends on it." Optimus Prime said in what seemed like a desperate tone in his voice.

"Optimus," she said, and Optimus looked to her as she took the tracker. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we're going to find the Star Saber. We have figure out how to get back to Autobot City before we freeze out here."

There was truth in her words, and Optimus Prime had no other choice to face reality. But then he saw something in the distance passed the swirling frost of the storm. A visage stood a good distance from himself and Arcee, and seemed to be on approach toward them. Optimus stepped forward with a gait that could've been mistaken for a haze. But from his point of view, Optimus Prime was convinced that it was Alpha Trion approaching him. Then he noticed that something wasn't right when Arcee provided an indication that she could also see the visage.

The visage drew closer and closer to the two Autobots before stopping. Like clockwork, the storm began to dissipate and Optimus Prime realized to his horror that it wasn't Alpha Trion confronting him. Standing before Optimus Prime amid the swirling frost and snow was Thunderwing.

* * *

Author's Note: Well like always as of late, another chapter is done after a considerable stretch of time. Again, I going to skip out on the highlights and let the reviews flow.


	21. Mutiny

Disclaimer: Oh look; it's the New Year 2016. And, I have a new chapter for the New Year. What are the odds?

Like Always, I don't own the right to the Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XXI

Surrounded by the cautious Autobots, Dark Steel stood near a corner in the war room. Crosshairs was the nearest to her and he had the barrel of his gun pointed right in her face and his finger on the trigger. Dark Steel made no effort to make a move. She could have tried to fight her way out if that were the reason for her arrival in the city. It wasn't; she was there seeking the Autobot's help. That didn't keep the Autobots from pointing their guns at her.

"I say we grease this little hunk of die-cast iron right here and right now." Crosshairs snarled right in Dark Steel's face so she knew he wasn't playing around.

Breakaway brought Crosshairs gun down and told him, "She didn't come here to fight, Crosshairs.

"Are you scrapping kidding me? She's one of Thunderwing's goons and you want us to play nice and invite her into our city?" Crosshairs snapped.

"She came to us alone, and unarmed and she surrendered to us. Is that not enough to convince you?" Breakaway countered.

"I'll be convinced when she has a steaming hole in her head." Crosshairs countered back.

Just as they were about to come to blows, Elita One stepped between them. "Enough, both of you. We're all on edge and short-handed as it stands now, so lets keep the fisticuffs to a minimum and find out why Dark Steel came to us."

"You can't be serious." Crosshairs said.

"Very serious, Crosshairs." Elita One snapped.

Crosshairs lost the fight and backed off, but he was going to keep a close optic on Dark Steel. Elita One turned her attention to Dark Steel, kneeling down beside her. "In lieu of Crosshairs' suspicions, I think you own us a good reason why se shouldn't throw you into a cell."

Dark Steel looked at the Autobots. "I expected you'd all suspicious of me, but I swear that I'm not here to cause trouble. But I am here for your help."

"With what, exactly?" Sideswipe asked.

Gathering herself, Dark Steel explained, "Megatron. He's planning on taking over the _Harbinger_. He's has my friend, Tigatron, imprisoned along with Sentinel Prime and…"

"Wait, wait… did you just say Sentinel Prime? He's still alive?" Elita One said in shock.

"Yes, but I doubt it'll be for much longer. He's dying, possibly due to the tampering of Tarantulas, whom I also found out isn't Tarantulas, but the Decepticon Shockwave." Dark Steel further explained, earning more surprised glares from the Autobots.

"Shockwave? He's alive?" Elita One incredulously asked.

"That's impossible. He was killed when Unicron attacked Cybertron," Breakaway claimed. "Wasn't he?"

"It's a trick. She's just trying screw with us." Crosshairs claimed.

"It's not a trick. I heard it straight from Shockwave himself. He created a duplicate and escaped Cybertron before Unicron's assault, took the guise of Tarantulas and found the Harbinger. He created me and most of the crew except for Tigatron." Dark Steel explained with urgency.

"And where does Thunderwing fit in all this?" Elita One asked.

"I don't know. He's different from all of the other crewmembers."

"Optimus Prime claimed that Thunderwing was actually one of the Original Primes." Bumblebee stated.

"That's news to me." Dark Steel claimed.

"Nice story, but it's too bad nobody's buying into it." Crosshairs continued with his skepticism.

"I believe her, Crosshairs," Breakaway said, stunning the other Autobots and especially Crosshairs. "I believe her because of who she used to be."

"What?"

"She's Tempest, Crosshairs. She's my girl." Breakaway declared, although Dark Steel appeared to still be out of sorts.

"You've got to be kidding me." Crosshairs sulked.

As much as it was all so much to consider, Elita One was more focused on the most pressing situation. "Look, the real issue here is Megatron. If he and Shockwave are staging a takeover of the _Harbinger_ , then the situation's gotten much worse than it has been. Dark Steel, what about Thunderwing?"

"Thunderwing is obviously obsessed with the Star Saber. He's gone to search for it himself." Dark Steel explained, and she instantly saw the oil drain from Elita One's face.

"Optimus and Arcee…!

* * *

Optimus Prime and Arcee stood across the tundra from Thunderwing. Thunderwing was approaching them in a steady gait and without deploying his weapons. Optimus Prime followed suit, approaching Thunderwing in a similar manner. Arcee stayed back with her weapons deployed, ready to act on Optimus Prime's word. Or without it. She still had a massive score to settle with Thunderwing for he'd done to Hotrod. So did Optimus, who maintained his composer as he approached Thunderwing. They eventually stopped with mere meters between them and Thunderwing cocked his head to one side as if to study the Autobot leader.

"Well this is certainly interesting, Optimus. We really should stop meeting like this, you and I." he said in a casual tone.

"Why are you here, Thunderwing?" Optimus asked in a tone that was far less casual.

"Same reason you're all the way in the middle of nowhere; you found it," Thunderwing replied and took a small step further. "You found the Star Saber, and now, you're going to give it me."

"I will do no such thing, especially after having learned of your true nature." Optimus declared, earning a glare from Thunderwing.

"My _true_ nature?"

"You are one of the Original Primes; the Thirteenth Prime."

Thunderwing smiled at the very prospect of Optimus Prime's claim and then let out a hysterical cackling. "Is that what you think?"

"What other reason is there that you would be searching for the weapon that first defeated Unicron?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Does it matter? Give me the Star Saber or at the very least, telling where it's hidden so I can claim it." Thunderwing demanded.

"That's not going to happen, Thunderwing, not after what you've done to Hotrod." Arcee declared.

"If he hadn't gotten in my way, he'd still be alive." Thunderwing stated.

"He _is_ alive." Arcee stated back.

"Then I suppose when I have the Star Saber, I'll need to finish the job."

Arcee, shaken and enraged at the threat, charged straight for Thunderwing despite Optimus Prime's attempts to stop her. Leaping into the air and then coming straight down, Arcee extended her right leg and brought it down. Thunderwing blocked the kick with his left arm and pushed back, sending Arcee flipping in midair and landing in the snow. Arcee assaulted Thunderwing with a barrage of strikes using her limb, while Thunderwing blocked the blows as they came and went. Heedless of the size difference, Arcee unleashed a relentless onslaught that drove Thunderwing back several steps.

Optimus Prime deployed his rifle and aimed, but Arcee was moving to quickly for him to get a shot off. He wasn't about to risk her life. Arcee meanwhile, continued her onslaught and kept Thunderwing on the defensive, unaware that he was waiting for his moment to strike back. Then the moment came when Arcee halted her attack for no more than a brief second. It was all Thunderwing needed. He caught Arcee by the arm as she was throwing a straight jab.

Thunderwing drove his fist into her chassis, causing Arcee to arc her back straight up. Repeated blows to the same area cause her to repeated arc her back, taking every hit like she was being slugged by Ultra Magnus' own hammer. This felt much worse as Thunderwing delivered blow after blow. He looked briefly at Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader felt an immense pang of rage well up inside of him, no different from when he watched Thunderwing gut Hotrod. This had to stop now.

"LET HER GO!"

Thunderwing stopped pummeling Arcee when Optimus shouted at him. A sick smile streaked across his face before he tossed Arcee aside, sending her crashing into the snowy tundra. Optimus Prime's first instinct was to check to see if Arcee was alive but he knew Thunderwing would come after him had Optimus dropped his guard. Optimus Prime deployed his arm blades and his faceplate before standing off against Thunderwing amid a newly arrived snowstorm.

"So tell me something," Thunderwing said loudly over a howling gale of frost. "Do you still think me to be this Thirteenth Prime? Or, are you still clinging to the past so foolishly?"

"Perhaps I am mistaken, or perhaps you are attempting to mislead me to hind your true self and the true reasons behind you desire to acquire the Star Saber. Either way, I will not allow you to harm anyone else." Optimus Prime declared.

"You won't be able to stop me." Thunderwing claimed before he deployed a rifle and fired a beam of yellow energy.

Optimus Prime jumped clear of the beam, which hit the space where he previously stood and sent snow flying into the storm. Thunderwing fired off a series of blasts to keep Optimus Prime off balance. Optimus leapt and dodged around shot after shot, each blast sending bits of the landscape into the storm. As Thunderwing sent another shot out, Optimus sent one of his own. The two blasts hit struck and cancelled each other out, and Optimus Prime saw his opening to converge on Thunderwing.

Thunderwing continued to shoot away, but Optimus Prime used his arm blades to bat the blasts away while moving closer. By the time he was close, Thunderwing was readying another shot. Optimus Prime ducked below Thundering, retracted his right blade and connected with a straight uppercut that rocked Thunderwing hard. Thunderwing was staggered, and Optimus began pummeling him with heavy strikes to the face and chassis.

Optimus Prime pressed his advantage, delivers every ounce of pent up anger he felt toward Thunderwing. Then without warning, Thunderwing blocked a straight fist to his face, smiled at Optimus and then head butted him. Optimus Prime staggered back, and now Thunderwing pressed his advantage. He beat Optimus back with an array of punches to the face and chassis just as Optimus did before grabbing and flipping him over. Optimus Prime was sent flying in the opposite direction of where he'd previously stood, but he was able to right himself.

He deployed his rifle and fired, managing to catch Thunderwing in the shoulder and the left and dropping him to a knee. Then he transformed and raced straight for Thunderwing, kicking up snow and leaving heavy tracks in his wake. Thunderwing recovered in time to see the grill of an Earth truck slam into him and send him flying up and over. He hit the snow-covered ground hard, while Optimus Prime turned back around and charged again.

This time, Thunderwing, leapt into the air and fired more projectiles at the vehicle, hitting the areas on either side. Optimus Prime couldn't maintain a straight path and transformed, while Thunderwing dove straight down in front of him and caught him square in the face. Staggering Optimus, Thunderwing pressed his offensive but Optimus pressed back. They traded blows back and forth and landed solid, convincing shots but neither could gain a decided advantage over the other. Then they landed one punch each at the same time, and both staggered back from the other.

Thunderwing chuckled while Optimus Prime stood his ground. "Impressive, Optimus. I see why Megatron considered you his greatest enemy."

"Then you understand why I must stand against tyranny, regardless of whomever incites it." Optimus Prime replied and deployed his arm blades.

Thunderwing deployed his blade and a sneer, he said, "Stand against tyranny you do, but for whom, the human race? Granted, they know a great deal about the civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons, but what do they really know?"

"Everything the humans know of our species had been shared. They are just as much a part of our culture as we are a part of theirs." Optimus Prime stated.

"Do they know about Unicron, or the Quintessons? Do they know the roles Unicron and the Quintessons played in shaping the very history of Cybertron? Imagine what could've been had Unicron came to destroy Earth instead of Cybertron when the dinosaurs still roamed, or if the Quintessons enslaved the humans while they were inventing the wheel. It's not an improbable notion." Thunderwing ranted.

Optimus Prime noticed that Thunderwing had been speaking with a surprising familiarity in his tone regarding Earth and the humans. Then he understood. "You have been here before."

Thunderwing replied, "A long time ago. I'm Cybertronian, just like you. Millennia ago, I departed from Cybertron on a mission of expansion, exploration and cultural uplifting of lesser species. Admittedly, my intentions were noble. But it was during my travels, I encountered a presence so dark and so evil that it defied comprehension."

Optimus Prime quickly deduced the meaning of Thunderwing's words. "Unicron."

Thunderwing shook a finger in response. "Bingo! You see, you were partly right but still mostly misinformed; I _was_ a Prime, just not one of the Thirteen Primes. I was once called Nominus Prime and I was a bit of a supremacist. I once firmly believed that our race was the one truly dominate species in the universe. Unicron proved me wrong."

"What did Unicron do to you?" Optimus Prime asked.

"In short, he freed me. He remade me into his herald and sent me out into the universe to seek out the relics of the Primes; a mission I continued up to this very moment." Thunderwing explained.

"Unicron no longer exists to hold any sway over you, Thunderwing. You are free, and we can still resolve our differences peacefully. There is no need for further conflict, especially over the Star Saber." Optimus Prime declared as if trying to reason with Thunderwing.

"That's where you're wrong, Optimus Prime. Even before my reawakening by the Chaos Bringer, I always made it point to finish a mission by any means necessary and no matter how long it takes. So mark my words; I will see this mission through to the end regardless of whoever stands in way. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Optimus Prime extended his arm blade and charged forward, while Thunderwing did all of the same. They charged toward each other with rapid intensity like two rampaging, Earth-born animals. As they closed the distance, they each reared their weapons back. Each of them hoped and intended to land a quick and decisive blow to end the fight before it started. Neither intended to hold back. Now barely a few meters from each other, Thunderwing and Optimus Prime brought their weapons to bear. A loud clang echoed…

* * *

"Is he ready?"

"Yes."

"Then bring him online, Shockwave."

The first images were of the _Harbinger's_ laboratory/infirmary/torture chamber. He tried to move but something was holding his limbs down. He didn't remember much but bits and pieces came back to him. He remembered his name; Cyclonus. He remembered his allegiance to the Decepticons. He also remembered the very last image he saw before everything went dark. Then Megatron appeared front and center. Every instinct told Cyclonus to lunge at Megatron, not to embrace him like a child but to massacre him like some worthless machine. But the stoic nature remained within Cyclonus and he calmed himself.

Shockwave then appeared beside Megatron. That was impossible as far as Cyclonus was concerned, for Shockwave was killed during Unicron's attack on Cybertron and again on Earth as a Darkened minion of the Fallen. But Shockwave was standing right in front of him alongside Megatron, who leaned inward to better study him.

"Can you hear me?" Megatron asked.

"Yes. Yes I hear you." he replied, and was surprised to notice the change in his voice.

"What is you designation?" Megatron asked again.

"I am… I was known as Cyclonus, saboteur and Second-in-Command of the Decepticons. Why did you kill me?"

"Call it 'keeping up the appearance of loyalty' though it ultimately failed, but Thunderwing's absence from the Harbinger provides us with an opportunity. So tell me; will you serve at my side once more?" Megatron asked.

Without a word, he nodded in the affirmative. Megatron smirked and gave a nod to Shockwave, who operated the nearby console. The shackles that bound Cyclonus to the table opened and allowed for him to walk freely. He noticed a difference in his gait. It wasn't nearly as graceful as it used to be. There was more heft to it but he still felt some familiarity. Instinctively, he searched around for the nearest reflective surface and marveled at who was staring back at him; a hulking brute roughly the same height as Megatron, but with a black, silver and purple scheme.

He noted the wings angled down, the muscular limbs and the menacing crest over his optics, which still had the all too familiar red glow of the Decepticons. Of course, the Decepticon insignia was ever present on his burly chassis. He might have once been Cyclonus, but he was different now, new and improved. He finally looked to Megatron and Shockwave, approaching Megatron specifically and matching his line of sight.

"I will serve you, Megatron, but I no longer wish to be called Cyclonus."

"Then how would you have us address you?" Megatron asked.

For a moment, he considered it. His color scheme was similar to the fallen Decepticons Dreadwind and Darkwing. They were pessimistic cowards and he wasn't going to like them. "Dreadwing… I am Dreadwing."

"Hm, I like the sound of that. Very well, Dreadwing, welcome to the fold," Megatron officially greeted him before turning to Shockwave. "Shockwave, are the Terrorcons ready?"

"The Terrorcons await your command, Lord Megatron." Shockwave replied.

"Excellent. Now, it thinks it's time we take back what is ours." Megatron said.

* * *

The _Harbinger_ crew had become minimal since Thunderwing disembarked, but they were unaware of the departure of Dark Steel and the imprisonment of Tigatron. It was only Skullcrusher, Apeface, Snapdragon, Wingspan and Pounce manning the bridge, too few to handle a situation should one had arisen. So they were unprepared when the doors to the bridge were blasted off their rails. The doors flew out toward the out edges of the bridge, one of them nearing decapitating Pounce had Wingspan not pulled him out of the way.

The Terrorcons stormed onto the bridge in their bestial forms, lunging and snapping at whomever happen to nearest. Apeface, Snapdragon and Skullcrusher all transformed into the bestial forms and fought the brutish beast. But with the numbers firmly against them, they didn't last long against the Terrorcons. Soon after the Terrorcon's arrival, a hulking robot entered the bridge and caught the optic of Apeface. Despite the added strength his gorilla form afforded, Apeface proved to be no match for the newly christened Dreadwing. Snapdragon, who as his namesake implied was in a komodo-like alternate form, tried to aid Apeface in fighting Dreadwing.

As before, their efforts were for naught. Dreadwing proved too strong for them. Skullcrusher meanwhile was being thrashed by the Terrorcons but continued to fight them for as long as his alligator form would allow. As all this was going on, Wingspan and Pounce attempted to contact Thunderwing but a blast of energy hit the console and shorted it out. Another intruder walked onto the bridge, but the twin instantly noticed something familiar about him. Then Megatron appeared and the Terrorcons halted their assault, leaving Skullcrusher, Apeface and Snapdragon to transform. The Terrorcons held three at gunpoint while Megatron surveyed the scene.

"The bridge is secure, Lord Megatron." Dreadwing informed Megatron.

"Well done, Dreadwing, and on your first cycle on the job. Impressive." Megatron praised his newest soldier as he sauntered along the bridge.

"What's going on here? Where's Thunderwing?" Skullcrusher demanded and had his arm worked over by Hun-Gr.

"Thunderwing will no longer be a factor going forward. As of right now, I am assuming command of this vessel." Megatron stated while approaching the Captain's Chair.

"We don't take orders from you." Wingspan and Pounce said in unison and they were quickly jolted by a surge of energy, perpetrated by Shockwave as he stood beside Megatron.

"In actuality, you do in fact answer to Lord Megatron thanks in part to my programming a creation of each and every one of you." Shockwave explained to the twins.

"You didn't make us. Tarantulas made us." the twins argued.

Shockwave morphed into his alternate persona and replied, "Indeed, I did." he stated in his alternate voice before shifting back into Shockwave, leaving the twins stunned.

"Now that we gotten that out of the way, Terrorcons, release the crew and have them return to their stations. Prepare to the Harbinger down to the planet's surface." Megatron ordered as he approached the Captain's Chair.

Skullcrusher managed to get free and rushed Megatron while he sat at the chair, holding him a gunpoint. "I'll see you fragged and stomped under the heel of Thunderwing before answering to you, Megatron."

Before Skullcrusher could pull the trigger, he felt the barrel of Megatron's fusion cannon under his chin. "There's nothing to stop me from disintegrating your head right now and right now in front of everyone on this bridge. So I strongly advise that you do as I command or die."

Skullcrusher pulled his gun back and stepped away. "As you command." He begrudgingly said and stomped back to the helm.

"That's more like it," Megatron said as Shockwave and Dreadwing stood on either side of him. "Now, set course for Autobot City. It's time to let the Autobots know that the Decepticons have returned."

* * *

Author's Note: That ends yet another chapter of the story and there have been some big surprises here. The biggest point is the big reveal of the true identity of Thunderwing.

That's right; Thunderwing was once a Prime called Nominus Prime, but he wasn't one of the Thirteen Primes. Also, he shares similarities with Nova Prime, including backstory and his corruption by Unicron. I chose to call him Nominus instead of Nova because, well, it sounded scarier.

Also, Cyclonus is officially gone and now, we have the fan favorite Dreadwing. It's the beginning of the return of the Decepticons, so stay tuned for more madness.


	22. The Great War Begins - Again

Disclaimer: I want to star first by informing that there's a possibility that I won't be immediate going into the next Transformers story. I'm strongly considering doing my first-ever crossover story featuring Marvel's Avengers and DC's Justice League.

Anyway, here's the very next chapter of the story. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter XXII

Tigatron had been the _Harbinger's_ helmsman since Thunderwing found him, and he'd taken to learning every form of movement the ship made regardless of how minuscule. So he was aware that something was wrong when he felt the ship shudder followed by almost something similar to sinking or falling, but falling very slowing. Tigatron knew what that meant.

"The ship's descending. They're taking the ship down into Earth's atmosphere." he said to his fellow prisoner, Sentinel Prime.

Sentinel Prime was still functional but extremely weakened from his ordeal. Tarantulas/Shockwave had done his damage, leaving Sentinel Prime closer to a rusted husk than the once proud Autobot leader he used to be. He was dying and he knew it. Tigatron knew it as well and he'd tried to ease the pain by carrying on conversations. They were mostly one-sided; Tigatron spoke while Sentinel listened. Tigatron sometimes felt like he was taking advantage of Sentinel, but even he was able to respond more regularly, Sentinel wouldn't have minded.

This was one of the times when Sentinel would've spoken. "Where… where is Optimus Prime?"

Tigatron approach and knelt down beside Sentinel, unsure of what to tell him. "I don't know. Look, I'm going to find us a way out of here, but I need you to stay with me for a while longer."

"Too late; I'm dying. I won't last much longer, but Optimus…" Sentinel tried to move, even if it was only for a moment. He failed and fell back, then began to trail off on his speech. "You're Tigatron, yes?"

Tigatron replied, "Yes."

"You had a… a brother, yes?"

Tigatron said, "His name was Cheetor."

"I've heard that name before. I've met him in fact; young, passionate and courageous, all qualities of a good leader, something I'll never be again." Sentinel Prime mused in reverence.

With regret in his voice, Tigatron replied, "He's dead. We were both trying to escape the war for Cybertron but I was the only one to get away. I left him behind; he's dead because of me."

Sentinel leaned in and stated, "Your brother is not dead."

Tigatron looked at Sentinel and replied, "What did you say?"

"You're brother is not dead. Before my fall from grace, I arranged for several Autobot refugees to be transported off Cybertron. Cheetor was among them." Sentinel explained.

Tigatron speechlessly stared at Sentinel in disbelief. "Cheetor… my brother is… alive? Cheetor's alive; where is he?"

"I wish I knew so could I tell you. All I know is the name of the shuttle in which he escaped; the _Valkyrie_." Sentinel said weakly.

"The _Valkyrie._ Thank you, Sentinel." Tigatron said.

Sentinel gave Tigatron a small smile and said, "If you make it out of here and I don't, tell Optimus Prime that he is a far greater leader than I could ever be."

"You're going to be alright, Sentinel. I swear you'll be alright." Tigatron assured Sentinel, and Sentinel smiled at his concern.

But Sentinel Prime already knew better.

* * *

The first images to come through his optical view were two mechanical presences. Each one vastly different from the other but as he quickly noticed, bore the same insignia. He tried to move but his body felt frozen and inert. The joints weren't fully moveable but that was likely to change over a short length of time. One of the two robots examined him closely, even waving his hand in front of him as if in greeting.

"Hello there," the other one said. "I'm Highbrow and this is my associate, Brainstorm."

"Hello." Brainstorm greeted.

"Where am I? What's going on?" he asked.

"Just relax, okay? You're just coming back online and we're making everything's in working order." Brainstorm said.

"I can't move."

"You full range of mobility shoulder return after a few moments. Do you a designation? A name, I mean?" Highbrow asked.

"Lightspeed, I think."

"Okay, Lightspeed. You should be able to move around now, so take it slow and easy." Highbrow said and stepped aside.

As the first of the Technobots to be reactivated, Lightspeed took a step forward and almost tumbled. He did manage to right himself and then started moving step by step. Looking around, he saw the rest of the Technobots standing inert against the wall and Brainstorm working on the nearest one. That was Strafe, Lightspeed remembered. Standing next to Strafe was Nosecone followed by Afterburner and Scattershot. Lightspeed felt a sense of familiarity as he looked around at the area around him. He heard the clanging sound of metal feet on metal floor and turned to see another Autobot entering the lab.

The Autobot saw Lightspeed and instantly drew his gun, causing Lightspeed to back away and fall to the floor in surprise. Highbrow was instantly between them and held his arm to each side. He was standing close enough to touch the other Autobot, who was still pointing his gun at Lightspeed.

"Stand down, Crosshairs. Stand down."

"Did you seriously reactivate these things? Are you insane?" Crosshairs asked out loud.

"Crosshairs, chill out. They're not hostile." Brainstorm assured, only for Strafe to suddenly come to life and draw his own gun.

Strafe moved his gun from one point of the lab to another, almost like he was taking aim at pretty much anything that moved. "What's going on? Where am I? Who are you, and you, and you? Who are they? Who goes there?"

"Not hostile, right Brainstorm?" Crosshairs snarled.

"Shut up, Crosshairs." Brainstorm snarled back.

Lightspeed stood up and quickly calmed Strafe down. "Strafe, it's me. It's Lightspeed. You can put the gun down; we're safe."

"Lightspeed," Strafe said and lowered his gun. "What's happening? Where are we?"

"Easy. We're among friends here. Well, mostly friends." Lightspeed stated, singling out Crosshairs.

Soon after Strafe came back online, Nosecone, Afterburner and finally Scattershot awoke. The three remaining Technobots staggered briefly around the lab and eventually righted themselves. As they looked around to get their bearings, Elita One walked into the lab. She was cautious from the beginning after the previous incursion and did all she could not to immediately go on the attack. But from what see was currently seeing, the Technobots weren't all to eager to resume hostilities.

"Who are you?" Scattershot asked, and Elita noticed that he was, as the humans put it, eyeing her up.

"My name is Elita One. I'm the interim Commander of the Autobots at the moment. I'm assuming you're the leader of your group." Elita One said.

"That's open for debate." Afterburner said.

"I suppose so; name's Scattershot."

Afterburner meanwhile felt a gun barrel near his face, held by Crosshairs. He batted the barrel away and got in the Autobot's face. "Get you scrappin' gun outta my face."

Undeterred, Crosshairs put the barrel under Afterburner's chin, saying, "How 'bout I shove the barrel down your auditory emulator instead, punk?"

"Go ahead and try." Afterburner snapped before Nosecone intervened.

"Whoa, now let's just chill out and not try to kill each other. We're all friends here, right?" he said.

"No!" – "No!" they both snapped.

Ignoring Crosshairs and Afterburner, Scattershot asked Elita, "You mind telling us what's going on?"

"You attacked us, simple as that." Crosshairs said.

"Scrap off." Afterburner snapped.

"You were under the control of a human who seemed to have been altered with technology. We managed to subdue her at which point, the five of you shut down." Elita One explained to Scattershot.

"Josie Beller?"

"You know her?!" Highbrow asked in surprise.

"We knew she was manipulating us using whatever powers all that tech. And, we know for sure that she didn't do it to herself." Nosecone said.

"You have no idea who then." Brainstorm said.

"Not a one," Lightspeed replied. "The one thing we know for sure is that Beller built us using the husk of dead Transformers, likely from the battle of Seattle. But we have no way of knowing who among us is who."

"Well, we didn't really have high hopes for that, but we do need help. Our ranks are depleted at the moment and we need new recruits against whatever might come at us next." Elita One stated.

"I say we dismantle them and use their spare parts for motor gears and axel grease." Crosshairs snapped.

"I'd like to see you try." Afterburner snapped back.

"Lock it down, Afterburner. The Autobots more or less saved us from being slaves to a robot hating human. We owe them." Scattershot said.

"I don't owe anyone anything, and I sure as the Pit don't answer to you, Scattershot." Afterburner said stormed out of the lab, intentionally bumping Scattershot on the way out.

"What's his problem?" Strafe asked.

"I guess he doesn't like being bossed around, and I can't blame him," Scattershot said before acknowledging Elita One. "As for your request, you've got our support."

"Thanks, Scattershot. Now we just have to hope Optimus Prime returns." Elita One mused.

* * *

Optimus Prime was thrown halfway backward across the snow and landed hard on his back. He managed to roll over to one foot and one knee before he looked forward. Thunderwing was coming right at him, and he clearly was playing games anymore. His approach was fast and hard and the look on his face spoke of adrenaline-fueled rage. Optimus Prime stood and charged forward to meet Thunderwing head on. They met each other with closed fists, rocking each other back a step. Optimus Prime quickly closed the distance and began pummeling Thunderwing, each punch pushing him back step after step.

Thunderwing managed to catch a fist as it came before he drove his head into Optimus Prime's. Now Thunderwing was punching Optimus Prime, driving him backward. Optimus countered back with more blows before Thunderwing grabbed one of his arms and spun him around. Then Thundering tossed Optimus Prime another halfway across the tundra. Optimus Prime was slower to recovered but he had enough to sense to listen to the familiar sound of shifting metal. He looked up at Thunderwing, now airborne in his dragon form, flying straight toward him.

Transforming into his truck form, Optimus Prime gunned his engine and pushed forward just mere seconds before a ball of fire struck the area where he stood. Spinning back around, he raced back toward Thunderwing once the beast landed and transformed. Thunderwing took several shots at Optimus Prime as he was racing his way, but Optimus closed the distance faster than Thunderwing expected. Transforming at the last moment, Optimus Prime collided with Thundering and forced both to the snow. Somehow, Thunderwing shifted the momentum in his favor and was suddenly inning Optimus to the snow. He extended an arm blade and attempted to cut into Optimus, who tried as hard as he could to fight back. As all this was happening, Arcee was starting to recover from the beating she'd received earlier.

Thunderwing snarled to Optimus Prime, "You know, if we'd met before the war, before my fateful journey to the stars, we could've been friends. You could've been something more than what you are now."

"By serving Unicron? I would have rather fallen than be a pawn to one so evil." Optimus Prime rebutted.

"As I understand it, you already did. But what's one more time?" Thunderwing claimed before he pushed down on the blade.

Before the tip of his blade pierced into Optimus Prime's chassis, Arcee raced in her vehicle form and slammed into Thunderwing. Thunderwing was thrown off of Optimus, landing a few feet away from him, while Arcee bolted toward him in robot form. She assaulted Thunderwing with a series of high and low kicks to stagger him and drive him back while giving Optimus time to recover. Despite being caught off guard, Thunderwing recovered and caught Arcee by one of her legs. He tossed her but Optimus Prime managed to catch her and let drop to the snow on her feet. The two Autobots then took a fighting stance against Thunderwing.

"Two against one, huh? Good," he said while creaking his head from side to the other. "There won't be anyone left to stop me from claiming the Star Saber."

Optimus and Arcee readied themselves while Thunderwing clenched his fists and charged them…

* * *

Dark Steel stood in front of the memorial wall, studying every name that sat upon it. Despite having most of her memory altered, bits and pieces were slowly coming back to her. She traced her fingers along the etching of what was once her previous identity of Tempest. Again, she felt a slight familiarity but with Shockwave's tampering, it was difficult to really put it in perspective. Dark Steel caught movement out of the corners of her optics and turned to see Breakaway approaching her.

It was to Breakaway's credit that he hadn't spoken a single word as he came, nor did Dark Steel try to chase him away. It wouldn't have seemed fair for either of them. Without a word, he took a stance beside her and then he looked up at the memorial wall. The names of every Autobot, every friend Breakaway had lost, seemed to pierce into his Spark like a needles. He knew though that Dark Steel was looking at Tempest's name, and maybe she trying to piece everything together. He wanted to help her but wasn't sure how to do that. It wouldn't stop him from trying.

"This is how you remember the lost." she said.

"Yeah. We erected it after Optimus Prime first died." Breakaway stated.

"And then he came back." Dark Steel stated with a small bit of amusement.

"Seems like you have something in common with him," Breakaway claimed, causing Dark Steel to crack a small smirk. "Do you remember anything? Is anything coming back?"

Dark Steel considered her reply for a moment. Then she said, "Shockwave messed me up. He erased most of whom I used to be to create a near perfect soldier. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. How did I… how did Tempest die?"

Breakaway was inwardly hoping she wouldn't ask. Rather than divulge the details, he said, "She died… doing the right thing."

"I know how that feels," Dark Steel said. "I left my friend on the _Harbinger_ ; Tigatron."

"I guess you two were pretty close." Breakaway said silently with a small hint of jealousy, but making certain to hide it.

"On a ship full of artificially built monstrosities, Tigatron was my only real friend. He often told me how he'd escaped Cybertron during the war, and how he regretted having to leave behind someone very dear to him." Dark Steel explained.

Breakaway asked, "Who'd he leave behind?"

Dark Steel felt reluctant to reply, but there was a small part of herself that knew she could trust Breakaway. "Cheetor; his brother."

Breakaway instantly felt foolish for asking and said, "We'll get you're friend back."

"You make it sound so easy, but the rest of the Autobots… I've seen how they look at me. They don't trust me." Dark Steel said.

"But I do," Breakaway replied and took Dark Steel's hand. "And I believe in my Spark that there's still some of Tempest left in you."

Dark Steel felt something as she held Breakaway's hand; a feeling of familiarity and of longing. But she snapped her hand away out of a sense of trepidation. "Then you're a fool," she said before walking away as fast as her legs could take her.

Breakaway's first instinct was to chase her down, but his better judgment prevented such action and it was for the best. He glanced back at the memorial wall at the names of all the lost Autobots. Springer, Kup, Inferno, Red Alert, Mirage… his sightline returned to Tempest's name. He spent the past seven Earth months grieving her death, and then the whole universe seemed to pull a 180-degree turn on him by bringing her back and then erasing her memory to further torture him. Dark Steel called him a fool and maybe she was right, but Breakaway wasn't going to give up on her.

* * *

The _Harbinger_ was now within Earth's inner atmosphere, and Dreadwing spun his chair around to address Megatron. "We've reached optimal communications range of the planet, Lord Megatron."

"You're earning your place among our ranks, Dreadwing," Megatron said before he stepped from the Captain's chair approached the twins. "Open a worldwide communication across the entire planet. It's time the world was fully aware of our return."

Pounce was reluctant to comply, while Wingspan said, "We don't take orders from you."

Then Megatron clenched his hand around Wingspan's neck. "Do I look like I intend to repeat myself? Do it, now."

After being thrown down to the floor beside his twin, Wingspan joined Pounce in getting the communication systems up and running. Megatron returned to the chair where Shockwave was standing beside it. There they waited until the view screen went black with the exception of a single white line.

"The channel is open." the twin stated, and Megatron smiled.

* * *

Time Square in New York City had a reputation of being one of the busiest places in the country, maybe even the world as a whole. With that many people walking, or more accurately, running into each other, it was usually a wonder that no one caused a serious issue. The big screens that littered Time Square showed off varying images from commercials to live feeds of the people in the area. But then without warning, the screen began to show nothing except for white noise. A voice could be heard, but too garbled to be completely discernable at first. Then the voice began to come through clearly, and it was voice that the people of Earth knew to fear.

"I AM MEGATRON AND I HAVE RETURNED WITH MESSAGES FOR YOU ALL. TO THE DISENCHANTED DECEPTICONS WHO HID THEMSELVES AWAY, IT IS TIME TO RISE UP AND RECLAIM YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE AT MY SIDE…."

* * *

In Tokyo, Japan, the massage was continuing as the citizens listened and watch with terror. "TO THE FLESHLINGS THAT INHABIT THIS WORLD, YOUR LIVES ARE SHORT COMPARED TO OURS, BUT HAVE GONE ON FOR TOO LONG. YOU WILL NOT BE SPARED THE CHAOS TO COME…"

The massaged carried in other countries around the world; Russia, France, Australia, Brazil, Egypt. It made no difference what country or what form of language because the massage was the same. Even in Washington DC, President Keller and his staff were listening to the message from Megatron.

"AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, THIS MESSAGE IN TO THE AUTOBOTS WHO'VE LONG SWORN TO PROTECT THIS WORLD. YOU BELIEVE YOURSELVES THE DEFENDERS OF PEACE AND JUSTICE, BUT YOU ARE ALL NO DIFFERENT FROM THE DECEPTICONS. YOU CLAIM TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND YET YOU'D KILL YOUR OWN KIN TO ACHIEVE IT…"

* * *

"THERE CAN BE NO MIDDLE GROUND, AND THERE CAN MOST CERTAINLY BE NO TRUCE BETWEEN AUTOBOTS AND DECEPTICONS. YOU WOULD BRING DEATH TO ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOW YOU, AND THE DECEPTICONS NOW HAVE THE MEANS TO BRING DEATH TO YOU…"

Strapped to the gurney as she was, Josie could do nothing but listen to every single word that Megatron spoke. With each word, her hatred of the Transformers grew that much worse. In fact, her anger was causing small surges of electricity to spark on the metal gurney. She wasn't strong enough yet to get free, but she would be soon… and she was going to bring her own brand of hell with her.

"SO PREPARE YOURSELVES, ALL WHO CALL THIS PLANET YOUR HOME. FOR AS OF NOW, THE TRUCE IS DISOLVED. THE DECEPTICONS HAVE RETURNED."

The video feed was finally cut, but the damage was already done. The Autobots had been paying ever so close attention to the message from Megatron and Elita One knew right away, they were in serious trouble. She turned to face the rest of the Autobots, as well as four of the Technobots minus Afterburner, and their human allies. With Optimus Prime and Arcee still in Arctic Circle, and Ultra Magnus and Jazz injured, the next big decision rested on the slender but strong shoulders of Elita One.

"I think we're all well and truly scrapped." Crosshairs quipped to break the silence, and no one found it amusing.

"Not likely," Elita One said. "Brainstorm, what's the status on the city's power levels?"

"Right now, power levels are sitting at 94 percent." Brainstorm replied.

"It'll do. You take Highbrow and Crosshairs and get the city's weapon system online. I don't care if you have to manually force the guns into position." Elita One said.

"Dibs on the ramparts." Crosshairs quipped as he, Highbrow and Brainstorm rushed off.

Elita One looked to Triage and said to him, "Triage, you take the human to infirmary and lock it down. Nobody leaves for ANY reason."

"We're not going to hide away while the Decepticons attack the city, not again." Daniel declared with Verity standing beside him.

"I'm with Daniel. We're all in this together." she added.

"This is not a debate, and I'm not putting your lives on the line needlessly. Triage, take them to the infirmary and KEEP them there." Elita One snapped, and Triage had little choice to but to forcibly escort the humans.

"Harsh, Elita." Bumblebee said.

"They'll get over it," Elita said and then turned to Cerebros. "Cerebros, please tell you've got communications back up."

"I did but only partially and with moderate range available at best. But I did manage to notify the Wreckers. They're on the way, moving as fast as Stratosphere can carry them."

"They'd better double time their ETA." Sunstreaker said.

"What about them, Elita," Sideswipe asked and point to the Technobots. "Can we really trust them?"

"Like I said, we owe you for saving us from that psycho human-robot hybrid chick." Scattershot declared and the three remaining Technobots took stances beside him.

As Elita nodded to the Technobots in approval, Bumblebee said, "I guess everyone's following your lead, Elita. Where do we go from here?"

Elita One prepared her gun, cocking the mechanism to working order, and said to Bumblebee, "To war."

* * *

Author's Note: Finally, I get another chapter finished up. It only took me about a month to do it. Yeah, busy schedule.

So yeah, it's seems that Tigatron has found small glimmer of hope that his brother's alive. What does that mean? Meanwhile, the Technobots have joined the Autobots, minus Afterburner.

A scene from Man Of Steel was the inspiration for Megatron's worldwide message. As for whoever answers the call, we'll have to wait until the next chapter. And, it appears that the Wreckers will be appearing after all.

Stay tuned for the next entry. The Great War starts anew.


	23. Living On Borrowed Time

Disclaimer: Happy Valentine's Day, everybody. I'm surprised with myself that it didn't take me as long to get another chapter ready. It must be 'cause we're moving into the third act.

I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XXIII

Megatron's message was heard loud and clear, and it appeared that there indeed were Decepticons scattered across much of the United States, possibly the world. The first to respond were the Combaticons, who'd been in hiding since Seattle. The moment that Megatron relayed his message, Onslaught rallied his troops. As always, Brawl was the first in line to act, as the seven mega-cycle slump of inactivity grinded his gears. Vortex was the next to follow, then Blast Off and finally, Swindle. With his booming voice echoing, Onslaught transformed and mobilized.

The other Combaticons followed, with Blast Off and Vortex taking to the air and Swindle and Brawl flanking Onslaught. He transmitted an electronic message to each of his troops to take no prisoners. The Combaticons weren't the types to consider such action. They'd were all restless and eager to return to the fight. They all them electronically relayed another message to Megatron himself…

ALL HAIL MEGATRON!

* * *

At a stone quarry in rural Nevada, Megatron's message spread. The human workers there in the quarry were relatively unaware of anything other than their jobs. But then several of them started to notice something off, particularly with certain construction vehicles. The operator of a bulldozer noticed that the controls weren't responding or the gas pedal wasn't pumping gas into the motor or something else just as strange. Then the dozer suddenly and seemingly acted on its own, and then it startled the operator by shocking him out of his seat. Once he was out of the way, the bulldozer shifted and changed form into Scrapper of the Constructicons.

"Constructions, Megatron has returned." he bellowed.

Within moments, five other construction vehicles did away with the operators and transformed into the remaining Constructicons. Scavenger, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Bonecrusher and Hook all came alive for what felt like the first time in a long time. The human workers weren't sure what to make of this sudden development before the Constructicons suddenly started rampage through the quarry. The humans ran as quickly as their legs could take them while the Constructicons returned to their vehicle forms and drove away. Like the Combaticons, they transmitted an electronic message…

ALL HAIL MEGATRON!

* * *

The message was farther-reaching than expected, for it was in the jungles of Brazil that a hideous presence stirred. Hidden in the jungles out of the sight of humans, a colony of Insecticon drones was activated. These were merely mindless drone soldiers, unlike the long departed Shrapnel, Kickback and Bombshell. They shared the appearance of the original trio, as well as the devotion to the Decepticon cause. Now they were answering the call.

Like a swarm of locusts, the Insecticons rose out of the jungle by the dozens. They traveled high enough to blot out the Sun and their destination was exact same as that of the Combaticons and Constructicons: Autobot City. Despite not being able to speak, the Insecticons drones understood the very same message…

ALL HAIL MEGATRON!

* * *

On the _Harbinger_ , Shockwave informed Megatron, "The Combaticons and Constructicons have responded to your call, Lord Megatron, along with a large swarm swarms of Insecticon clones."

"Excellent, Shockwave," Megatron said as he reviewed a real time image of the location of Autobot City at the ship's proximity. "The clones will act as our front line soldiers, while the Combaticons and Constructicons converge on the sides and break down the walls."

The Autobots will no doubt be expecting us. They will likely have prepared their defenses; they will not fall without a fight." Shockwave stated.

"I never expected them to, Shockwave. But the Autobots won't be prepared for the savagery of the Terrorcons. Believe me; I've seen it, or Galvatron rather, has seen it first hand," Megatron said and approached Dreadwing and Skullcrusher. "Take us down close and prepare to attack."

* * *

The primary cannons shifted into position around the walls of Autobot City, but there was a massive feeling of déjà vu among the Autobots. In truth, Breakaway felt the uneasiness since he was among the only current Autobots to have experienced it. Ultra Magnus and Hotrod were there that time as well, but with them still incapacitated, Breakaway was the only one feeling the particular lack of ease. As he busied himself with getting the defenses of the city active, he gazed over at Dark Steel.

She hadn't spoken a word since arriving in the city, never declared her allegiance to the Autobots and never even looked back at Breakaway whenever he looked to her. Either she was busy with getting the city defenses going or she was ashamed. Breakaway wanted to assume the former since Dark Steel seemed to have an idea on how to get the defenses operational. That meant nothing to several of the Autobots, especially Crosshairs, who didn't trust her one bit.

Meanwhile, the Technobots assisted in upgrading the weapons systems. According to Lightspeed, there was an expectation of a fifteen percent increase in reaction time from the cannons. Elita One and Brainstorm couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity of the group of human-created robots, but it still felt incomplete without Afterburner. He seemed like the typical _rebel with a cause_ , and it was a cause he chose to ignore. Scattershot was more gung-ho, like he was ready, willing and able for a fight. That trait reminded Elita of Springer, Primus rest his Spark. Something told her the Autobots were going to need that attitude.

Then the claxons blared around the city, and Elita One knew what it meant for the Autobots. She rushed as fast as she could toward the ramparts where Crosshairs and Bumblebee were waiting for her. The cannons were aimed toward the general direction from which the _Harbinger_ was being expected, but that wasn't where Bumblebee and Crosshairs were looking. Before Elita One could inquire from either one of the two Autobots, Cerebros chimed in from the tower.

" _Cerebros to Elita One, we have incoming from the southeast."_

Despite knowing otherwise, Elita asked, "Is it the _Harbinger_?"

" _No, these are multiple signals but they're all Decepticon."_ Cerebros replied.

Bumblebee looked toward the southeast and spotted what looked like a cloud or a smog approaching. This was bizarre since whenever there was a gust of wind, it usually came from the west. So he and Elita One concluded that this wasn't some whiff of clouds. Using a built-in optical function, he managed to get a better look at the approaching cloud. His optics glowed in surprise.

"Insecticons!"

Crosshairs looked in the same direction as Bumblebee and felt his circuits sizzle. "Insecticons? Why'd it have to be Insecticons?"

The swarm of Insecticons was within reach of the city. As nothing more than mindless drones, they had no real direction or purpose outside of their own sustenance. Much like the original Insecticons, they craved metal and steel, and Autobot City had plenty of it. As the swarm drew closer, the cannons opened fire automatically. Several groups of Insecticons were blown out of the sky within a matter of seconds, causing the rest of them to scatter only to reform soon after.

The Autobots started firing their guns at the swarm, taking out more of the drones before they could get closer to the city while the cannons destroyed the stragglers. The swarm still got close enough for a pass and a few of them dropped from the main group onto the ramparts. The nearest Autobots were Bumblebee and Crosshairs. They quickly opened fire on the drones and blasted most of them to bits. One broke away and lunged straight form Elita One, but she used its momentum to throw it against the wall. Brainstorm blasted it to finish it off.

Another small group of drones flew overhead. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker quickly opened fire on them and took down a few of them while the rest backed away. The drones returned and this time, the Technobots shot them down. As before, a few drones landed on the ramparts near Highbrow, Breakaway and Dark Steel. The swarm backed away and scattered and the Autobots waited for the next wave, but it never came. Elita One remained cautious and alert, prompting the others to do the same.

Another wave of Insecticons approached, and the city cannons cut them down before they could get closer. The stragglers were destroyed by Scattershot in his stationary cannon form and Strafe's rapid-fire assault. The remaining drones dispersed yet again and didn't return, but the Autobots remained alert regardless.

"Is that the best they can do?" Crosshairs arrogantly asked. A moment later, a salvo round hit one of the cannons and blew it apart.

The Autobots looked toward the directions of the shot and spotted the Combaticons approaching from the east. Highbrow replied, "You had to ask."

On the ground, Onslaught started relaying orders to the his team. "Blast Off and Vortex, commence hit-and-run aerial attacks. Swindle, find us a way into the city. Brawl, you're with me in commencing a frontal assault."

"Sounds like a blast, Onslaught." Brawl bellowed.

"Vortex, commencing aerial assault."

"Right with you, Vortex." Blast Off declared.

"Good to be back in business." Swindle said.

On the ramparts, Sunstreaker claimed, "Insecticons drones and the Combaticons… I doubt it can get any worse."

Back on the ground, the Constructicons arrived mere moments after the Combaticons. Scrapper declared, "For the glory of the Decepticons, Constructicons: UNITE!"

The six Constructicons halted their advance and then began their merge. Within moments, they were gone and Devastator stood in the place. "ALL HAIL MEGATRON!"

As soon as Devastator appeared on the field, the Autobots all collectively glared at Sunstreaker, who said nothing in his own defense. Their befuddlement was cut short by the aerial assault perpetrated by Blast Off and Vortex, and the Autobots quickly returned fire. The remaining cannons fired on Devastator, striking him in the legs to bring him down to a knee. He rose back up and continued his advance, while Onslaught and Brawl fired shots at the walls and ramparts. Swindle rejoined them and tossed a series of explosive, most of which detonated before reaching the Autobots.

The Autobots concentrated on Devastator and the Combaticons, while the cannons were trained on the swarm of Insecticon drone as they came and went. More of the drones were destroyed thanks to the cannons, and bits of them rained down on the ramparts. Blast Off and Vortex continued to bring fire down on the Autobots, but Strafe and Scattershot were airborne in their alternate forms. The faster and more maneuverable Technobots easily outmatched the two Combaticons and drove them off.

Then with Breakaway, Brainstorm and Highbrow joining them, they flew out straight for Devastator. The gestalt tried batting the Autobots out of the sky but he was far to slow to catch them. Breakaway and Brainstorm, both being the fastest of the quintet, flew around Devastator and peppered him with rapid shots to the back. Highbrow flew in and fired a pair of missiles that struck Devastator on the shin area. Scattershot and Strafe scored several shots to Devastator's shoulder, finally bringing the giant down at least temporarily.

Onslaught bellowed, "Combaticons, focus fire on those flyers. Bring them down."

Brawl was all too happy to comply and assumed his tank form. He fired a volley that rocked Highbrow, leaving the Autobot to briefly stagger his flight path. Strafe came in to cover his new ally and fired volley of shots. Brawl took the shots to his armored hull and fired back, missing Strafe about allowing Scattershot and Breakaway to fly in and return fire. Onslaught fired several shots that missed the quartet before they returned to the city. From that point, it appeared that the battle was at a stalemate.

* * *

Megatron was observing the battle and he didn't like what he was seeing. Though he was aware that the Insecticon drones were nothing more than cannon fodder, he inwardly expected better from the Constructicons and Combaticons. The time they'd spent away from battle had clearly made them soft.

"Are we within optimal firing range?" he asked.

"Confirmed, and we're ready to fire at your command." Skullcrusher replied.

"Good," Megatron said before turning to Shockwave. "Prepare the Terrorcons for battle, Shockwave."

"As you command, Lord Megatron." Shockwave said and left to ready the Terrorcons.

Dreadwing then turned in his chair and looked to Megatron. "Lord Megatron, with your permission, I would like to take part in the battle below."

For a moment, Megatron thought to deny the request. But he said, "Permission granted, Dreadwing. Show the Autobots the sort of sterner stuff from which you are made."

* * *

The battle raged on, and the Autobots were so far holding off the Decepticons using concentrated fire on Devastator. They also repeatedly halted attempts by the Combaticons to merge. Elita One liked how the fight was going so far… until she saw the _Harbinger's_ approach. Then she noticed a group of figures on the hull, not unlike the previous encounter in San Francisco. There were six figures, with five sharing a similar color scheme. The one in the middle stepped forward and then jumped from the hull, transforming into a reverse-fixed wing jet and rocketing toward Autobot City.

Breakaway caught sight of the approaching jet and initially believed it to be Cyclonus, except it wasn't Cyclonus anymore. Zipping across the sky at breakneck speed, Dreadwing flew over the city and caught the attention of the Autobots on the ramparts. Then he turned back around and opened fire on the cannons. The shot struck the cannons and destroyed them, sending shrapnel along the ramparts and forcing the Autobots to shield each other. The Autobots recovered and fired back at Dreadwing, but he was moving too fast for them to score a hit.

Dreadwing turned back around and fired at the Autobots again, this time striking a panel below where Crosshairs stood. The floor collapsed and Crosshairs dropped down but managed grab hold of the destroyed section. Sideswipe was the closest and tried to reach Crosshairs but incoming fire from below, from the Combaticons, cut him off beforehand. Crosshairs felt his grip weakening.

"I could use a little help here." he shouted, unsure if anyone heard him. Then he grip gave out and he dropped, but someone caught him.

Afterburner had Crosshairs, who looked up in surprise. "I gotta do everything myself, don't I?" he snapped before pulling Crosshairs back up.

Scattershot and Strafe dropped back on the ramparts to reunite with their wayward teammate while Lightspeed and Nosecone joined them. "Nice of you to join us, Afterburner." Scattershot said.

"Someone had to save your tailpipes." Afterburner said back just before a series of shots rained down on them, and Dreadwing flew right over them.

The Technobots opened fire on Dreadwing as he was rounding back, and he was rocked by a few scoring shots. His flight path shuddered but he kept coming, and he fired back on the Technobots. His shots struck the already scorched or blown out wall, and then the Technobots returned fire. The next volley caused Dreadwing to back off, and the Autobots refocused their efforts on Devastator. It wasn't long though before the Combaticons regrouped below.

"Combaticons, you know what to do." Onslaught bellowed.

The Combaticons began the all too familiar combination process and soon enough, Bruticus was standing right where they stood. "BRUTICUS ONLINE!"

On the ramparts, Elita One and Bumblebee saw Bruticus making his approach toward the city. "That's just perfect. How are we going to stop giants at the same time?" Bumblebee asked.

Bruticus was close to the city wall and had his massive fist balled up when a white and red vehicle came racing over the short hills around the city. A silver and purple car followed after the first, and both were racing straight for Bruticus. The giant caught sight of the two cars and was surprised when the first of them bounded into the air. It transformed into Drift of the Wreckers. The second car bounded and transformed into Roulette. She dropped to an outcropping and fired her long rang rifle, catching Bruticus in the face. Drift drew his swords and drove them into the gestalt's chassis, slashing bits of it away.

Devastator made a move to approach Bruticus when an army green Hummer raced up behind him. It was Bulkhead, and the Wrecker's demolitions expert rammed Devastator's leg from behind, tripping the giant and sending him down. Drift continued slashing away at Bruticus while from up high, Stratosphere approached with Airazor flanking him. He opened his underside hatch and allowed Depth Charge to drop out. Depth Charge transformed and glided toward Bruticus, then he transformed again to land on the giant's shoulder.

Scattershot caught sight of the Wreckers in action and asked Elita One, "Friends of yours?"

"Brothers," Elita One said and contacted Drift. "Took you long enough, Drift?"

Still fighting Bruticus, Drift replied. "Sorry, Elita. We got held up in Paris. COBRA was trying to bring down the Eiffel Tower."

"Hey, how about a little less talking and a little more bashing?" Depth Charge shouted.

Bulkhead transformed and bashed Devastator in the face. "I'm with Depth Charge on that." Seconds later, Bulkhead leapt clear of incoming fire Dreadwing.

Airazor spotted Dreadwing and quickly gave chase. They flew overhead of Roulette, who remained fixed on Bruticus and shooting him several more times in the chassis. The last shot brought him down as Drift and Depth Charge jumped away. From above, Stratosphere rained fire down on Bruticus and forced him to disengage into the five Combaticons. Bulkhead drove straight for the five with Drift joining him, and both knocked down Swindle and Vortex respectively. Onslaught, Brawl and Blast Off tried to continue the assault on the city but the Autobots had them pinned down.

Back up on the Harbinger, Shockwave approached the Terrorcons. "My Terrorcons, it is time to show the Autobots what fear looks like. So no mercy."

With a growl, Hun-Gr led the Terrorcons in a free fall toward the battle below. In the city, Elita One looked up and saw the Terrorcons descending. From an airborne position, Dark Steel watched as the Terrorcons fell and transformed into the bestial forms. She knew without realizing it that the Autobots were in serious trouble. She looked back up at the Harbinger and she spotted Shockwave standing atop of it. He looked down and saw her, but he turned away just as quickly.

The Terrorcons landed on the ground where the fighting was ongoing between the Wreckers and the Combaticons. But their intended target was Autobot City and the Autobots hiding its walls. The Autobots were unsure of what to make of the Terrorcons before Cutthroat flew into view and used his talons on the nearest Autobot, Bumblebee. Bumblebee fired off a few shots but Cutthroat was on him fast and slashed at him with his talons. Bumblebee was thrown backwards into Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, with slash marks on his armor. He was still functional but wounded, and grateful he didn't endure a repeat loss of his voice.

Blot jumped onto the outer wall and started a manic climb, but Crosshairs and the Technobots cut him off for a moment. Rippersnapper joined in Blot's climb while Sinnertwin and Hun-Gr covered them. Drift, Bulkhead and Depth Charge went after the three Terrorcons, but they in turn battled back against the Wreckers. Depth Charge was thrown into Bulkhead while Hun-Gr and Drift squared off. Hun-Gr easily bested Drift but took a long-range shot from Roulette. Blast Off accosted her before Stratosphere arrived to assist her, while Airazor, Dark Steel, Breakaway, Highbrow and Brainstorm provided air support for the other Autobots.

Cutthroat continued his attack on the Autobots, this time wounding Sunstreaker before Sideswipe shot him in his right wing. The avian Terrorcon flew away and regrouped with the others, and then the began to merge. The Autobots watched the Terrorcons became one and soon after that, it was Abominus standing tall and rabid and letting out a sickening roar. The Wreckers regrouped and all attacked Abominus together, while the Autobots on the ramparts fired at the beast. The laser fire barely slowed Abominus down and he handily held off the Wreckers.

"How're we going to fight that thing?" Sideswipe asked while not expecting a reply.

But Brainstorm returned and stated, "I actually had a feeling this would happen."

Scattershot overheard this and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, while you guys were inactive, Highbrow and I took the liberty of installing combiner cogs into each one of you." Brainstorm explained while Highbrow returned.

"Theoretically, you should be able to merge into a single gestalt." Highbrow added.

"I don't like anyone messing with my insides, don't care whether they're human or Autobot." Afterburner snapped.

"Cool it, Afterburner. Highbrow, will it work?" Scattershot asked.

"Well, it hasn't been tested yet. There's a chance that prolonged merging could be catastrophic." Highbrow claimed, much to the Technobot's dismay.

"What are you saying, Highbrow?" Nosecone asked.

"When we working on you, we found that you all had a failsafe built into you by Beller, that she would've likely activate when she was done using you against us." Brainstorm explained.

"We weren't able to remove them, not without leaving a creator where the city's standing now. But if we were to leave be, you're looking another few decca-cycles at the most." Highbrow added.

"But if you choose to merge together, the process will be accelerated but at least one Earth hours at the most." Brainstorm finished with a heavy Spark.

"So either way, we're going to die." Strafe resolved.

"But I'm just starting to enjoy this new life." Lightspeed said sadly.

Nosecone said, "Maybe we'd be better off not merging."

Surprisingly, Afterburner stated, "That's not up to us. It's up to our boss."

"Why the sudden change, Afterburner?" Scattershot asked.

"Hey, if I'm gonna die, I wanna go done fighting. You're our leader, Scattershot, so lead the way."

Scattershot, having heard the ramifications merging with his allies, but looking down to see the Wreckers struggling against Abominus, finally declared, "I suppose it was never going to last. So if we go down, Technobots, then we go down together. But let's make sure we take that thing down with us."

Scattershot let the charge and leapt down from the ramparts to the ground below. Afterburner followed and Strafe, Nosecone and Lightspeed in turn followed him. The Wreckers meanwhile were being pummeled by Abominus before the beastly giant turned its attention to the Technobots. The Autobots watched as the Technobots all transformed. Then they began to merge together one after the other. Soon enough, the Technobots had become a single gestalt that stood tall opposite of Abominus and he finally spoke his first words.

"COMPUTRON ACTIVATED."

* * *

Author's note: That ends this chapter. I'll keep the details short and sweet; it's an all out battle royal. The Constructicons, Combaticons and the Wreckers return along with a swarm of Insecticon drones, but not the originals because they're, you know, dead.

Dreadwing gets his first bits of action and the Abominus and Computron are about to throw down for the first time… and the last time?

Leave a review for more juicy action and have a Happy Valentine's Day.


	24. The Swift And Terrible Fall

Disclaimer: The third act is in full swing as the story is steadily approaching its climax. Here's the next chapter so enjoy the ride.

I don't own the rights to Transformers, of course.

* * *

Chapter XXIV

Megatron looked at the view screen and he didn't like what he was seeing. He saw a new combiner standing against his own, and sided with the Autobots no less. How and when the Autobots found time to recruit a new and relatively unknown combiner into their ranks was beyond him. But it was still one combiner against Megatron's three: Abominus, Bruticus and Devastator. Three against one; those weren't good odds. But Megatron was still wary of this new addition to the fight and, regardless of the answer he'd receive, he looked to Shockwave for one.

"Shockwave, where in the Pit did that giant come from?"

"Origin, unknown. It is likely that the Autobots concealed it as a secret weapon against an eventual attack." Shockwave replied, to which Megatron inwardly implied was a complete lack of knowledge on Shockwave's part.

"It's still one against three, Megatron. This new combiner doesn't stand a chance." Skullcrusher claimed, but Megatron remained wary.

"We know not what this new arrival is capable of, Skullcrusher. But I'm certain we'll find out." Megatron said.

* * *

The Autobots on the ramparts looked down at Computron, the combined formed of the five Technobots that were once enemies to them. Brainstorm was especially surprised at the site of a gestalt he'd never seen before. But at the say, he felt a sense of dread knowing that Computron wasn't going to last long. Josie Beller took precautions by fitting the Technobots with failsafes to shut them down. They were living on borrowed time, and they were going to make the most of it.

Abominus roared his disapproval, or more like borderline rage, at Computron. "ABOMINUS DESTROY COMPUTRON."

In response, Computron replied, "ANALYZING; ABOMINUS; DECEPTICON COMBINER. KEY ADVANTAGES; BRUTE STRENGTH AND AGGRESSION. RECOMMENDATION; DIRECT ASSAULT IS REQUIRED."

Before Computron could react, Abominus rammed right into him and slammed him into the city wall. The tremor felt caused the Autobots to tumble to the floor. Initially overpowered, Computron pushed back against Abominus and struck the crazed beast with a series of heavy punches to the face. Bruticus moved to assist Abominus but the Wreckers drew his attention and continued their combined assault. Devastator then moved but the rest of the Autobots opened fire on him.

Meanwhile, Breakaway was engaged in another dogfight with Dreadwing. Dreadwing, thanks to Shockwave machinations, proved a far superior flyer, but Breakaway still continued to chase him. Breakaway fired off a volley of gunfire, causing Dreadwing to repeatedly perform a series of maneuvers and eventually fly out of range. Dreadwing made a small mistake by flying over the city ramparts where the Autobots all took shots at him.

On the ground, Computron and Abominus were locked in combat. Despite his immense strength and brutal rage, Abominus was being pushed back and soon after, Computron began pummeling him. Following his DIRECT ASSAULT protocol, Computron landed blow after blow on Abominus and left the bestial giant barely able to defend himself. Abominus was weathering the assault, waiting for his moment to strike back.

He found it. Computron missed a wide swing of his giant right arm, giving Abominus ample time to grab hold and swing him around. Abominus was now the one pummeling Computron, landing his own series of hits. Computron blocked a blow and struck Abominus in the face, but he was caught off guard when Bruticus grabbed hold of him from behind. Abominus proceeded to drive his burly fists into the chassis of Computron before the Wreckers intervened and attack Bruticus again. The Wrecker's aid allowed Computron to break free and tackle Abominus all the way onto the city walls.

* * *

A huge tremor was felt in the infirmary where Triage and Cerebros had taken the humans for their safety. Pieces of debris fell from the ceiling but most of it was minor for the two Autobots. The humans, not so much. Triage and Cerebros had to shield Spike and company from the debris as it fell. Very little could be done for Hotrod, Jazz and Ultra Magnus, but their chassis took the pieces like they were nothing anyway.

After feeling another tremor, Daniel said, "This is real bad. We've got to get out there and help the others."

"Absolutely not, Daniel. Elita One said to keep everyone safe in here and that's what we plan to do." Triage declared.

"Triage, without Optimus out there to lead them, the Autobots are fighting on borrowed time." Marissa exclaimed.

"I understand that, Marissa, but I have my orders and I don't plan on disobeying." Triage declared once more before another tremor rocked the infirmary.

A loud bang was heard behind the group and Cerebros looked back to see Jazz waking up and holding his head. "Jazz…"

"Uh, scrap, that hurt," Jazz whined before feeling another tremor. "Hold up, what I miss?"

"Not that much. The Decepticons are back and they're trying to break the wall down." Verity quipped.

"Oh… well, I better get crackin'." Jazz said tried to walk, but he was clearly weakened following the previous assault by the Technobots and Beller.

"Not a wise move, Jazz. You're obviously still wounded." Triage said.

"Gotta do somethin', doc."

"If you want to help, you'll help Cerebros and I protect the humans."

Jazz deployed his gun and cocked before declaring, "Fair enough."

"Do you have room for another gun?" a voice asked, and everyone looked to find Ultra Magnus getting off the table, albeit gingerly.

"Ugh, fine. But I'm calling the shots since you two are still hurt." Triage claimed and as soon as he spoke, another tremor hit the infirmary and caused the lights to flicker.

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, those same tremors and flickering lights drew the attention of the still shackled Josie Beller. Her first instincts were to struggle against her bonds once again amid whatever madness was going on outside. So far, she had no luck in breaking free and it only added to her anger and hatred toward the Transformers. Again, the lights flickered on and off over and over again and drove Josie further and further into madness until…

A piece of debris struck the control panel beyond the force field that hummed over Josie's prison. The field itself flickered violently before it eventually disappeared. The panel must've also controlled the shackles holding her down, as one of them snapped open and allowed Josie the use of her right arm. She examined the newly freed limb and the tech that blanketed it, flexed it to cause electrical sparks to fly and then jolted the remaining shackles one after the other. Within a matter of moments, Josie Beller was free. Another tremor rocked the city, which Josie quickly surmised had to involve the Decepticons. But she didn't to differentiate between Decepticons and Autobots. They were all going to die just the same.

But first… Josie needed to deal with group of humans that, in her warped mind, were now traitors to their own species. And, traitors didn't deserve to live.

* * *

Optimus Prime was dropped on the snow, thrown down by Thunderwing when the latter tossed him across the tundra. Thunderwing advanced on Optimus Prime but Arcee halted him when she jumped on his back. She threw her arm around his neck and pulled back with all her weight, actually causing Thunderwing to stagger backward. Optimus Prime was starting to stir and he was upright by the time Thunderwing threw Arcee off of him… straight at Optimus. The Autobot leader managed to catch his ally as she landed in his arm and as he was setting her down, Thunderwing charged at the both of them.

Pushing Arcee aside for her safety, Optimus Prime braced himself for Thunderwing to tackle him to the snow. They wrestled for control with Optimus getting the advantage and pounding Thunderwing in the face. Thunderwing bashed his own head into Prime's to stun him before rising and charging again. Prime recovered and blocked a strike before answering with his own. Thunderwing landed a blow and Optimus landed one more. Then they each landed a shot that staggered both of them, but Thunderwing was the more staggered and Optimus Prime advanced.

Thunderwing tried to land another blow but Optimus Prime landed one first. With Thunderwing stagger again, Optimus Prime pressed his advance. He landed strike after strike to the face and chassis of his foe, every blow loaded with aggression. With every hit he landed, Optimus Prime was reminded of what Thunderwing did to Hotrod. The image of Hotrod's near fatal stabbing replayed in Prime's memory banks repeatedly every time his struck Thunderwing. Eventually, Optimus landed a finally, vicious uppercut that sent Thunderwing flying backward. Thunderwing tumbled along the snowy tundra, skidding to a halt and left struggling to recover.

"Enough. It is over, Thunderwing." Optimus Prime angrily declared.

Thunderwing rose to knee and touched the back of his hand to his face, wiping oil from this mouth. "Not… just yet."

Before Optimus Prime could react, Thunderwing transformed into his dragon form and spread his wings. Optimus Prime stood upright as the beast brought its elongated neck and head to bear on him, and then he noticed plumes of flame protruding from its mouth. Thunderwing then reared back and spewed a massive flame jet right at Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime jumped aside to avoid the flame, drew his rifle and fired back. The shots struck Thunderwing in his dragon face before he took a mad lunge and swipe at Optimus Prime.

Optimus Prime ducked under the oncoming swipes of the beast's claws… and its tail, and continually found opening to fire off a few shots. The shots struck the dragon's hide but barely fazed Thunderwing as he kept coming. Optimus Prime managed to catch Thunderwing with laser shot to the face again before looking back briefly at Arcee. She was still functional and moving. But it was that slight distraction that aloud Thunderwing to hit Optimus Prime with his tail. Optimus was thrown back and hit the snow hard, and Arcee recovered enough to noticed Thunderwing inching his jaws down on the fallen Autobot leader.

She fired her own volley of laser fire, striking the hide of the dragon to gain its attention. Thunderwing abandoned his meal and diverted his focus on the much smaller Autobot, leaving Optimus Prime to attempt to recover. Arcee continued to fire at Thunderwing, managing to slow him down but not able to stop his approach. Thunderwing loomed over Arcee in his dragon form and took a couple of wild swipe at her. Arcee ducked below the swipes but wasn't prepared for the tail strike that knocked her down.

Left in a heap face down on the snow, Arcee struggled to rise again while Thunderwing loomed over her once again. Thunderwing was preparing to incinerate Arcee at point blank range, and Arcee knew she wouldn't survive the fire to come. It was at the very last microsecond that Optimus Prime pushed Arcee as hard as he could out of the way of the flames, only to be engulfed in the flames himself.

The flames subsided as quickly as they formed and Thunderwing returned to his robot form. Optimus Prime dropped to the tundra, a charred and scorched mess of steel thanks to the fire and Thunderwing stood over him. Smoke billowed in small streams of a vapor as Optimus Prime appeared to writhe in agony, and Thunderwing simply stood and watched. He deployed his blades and prepared to deliver the killing blow before he heard a crack around himself and Optimus. Another cracking sound came before Thunderwing realized that the snow was melting due to the fire of his alternate form.

Thunderwing backed away from Optimus Prime just as the patch of snow and ice on which they stood broke open below them. Only Optimus fell through, disappearing under the ice. Chunks of ice flew into the cold air while the water that came with it froze in an instant.

"NO!" Arcee shouted and reached her hand out, but there was no way to save Optimus Prime when he vanished in that instant.

Standing over the newly opened hole, Thunderwing searched for a sign. He found none and coldly remarked, "A burial at sea; seems surprisingly appropriate."

Arcee stood up and charged toward Thunderwing, screaming, "I'm finishing this, Thunderwing. This is for Hotrod and Optimus."

Thunderwing faced Arcee as she came at him from the air after a mighty leap, and then she dropped down and drove her foot into his face. Thunderwing staggered a bit by a few steps, and Arcee quickly pressed her assault. She struck him in the face and chassis with rapid punches and kicks, managing to push Thunderwing back and back. But for all her effort, she wasn't truly fazing him at all, and Thunderwing were waiting for a opening all that time. That opening came when Arcee paused extremely briefly, but long enough for Thunderwing to grasp her neck and lift her up off the snowy ground with one hand. Arcee fought now to free herself, to no avail.

"You've got Spark, I'll give you that. With a little tinkering, you'll make a fine addition to my crew, and I'll need a bit of compensation since Optimus Prime was the only one who knew where the Star Saber was hidden." Thunderwing exclaimed.

"I'd rather die." Arcee defiantly said.

"Trust me; you'll definitely die, if only to be reborn anew. And, you'll learn to appreciate the change," Thunderwing stated before pressing his fingers to his head. "Thunderwing to _Harbinger_ , come in."

* * *

"Megatron, we're receive a transmission from Thunderwing." Wingspan and Pounce replied in unison.

Megatron considered his options, particularly the option of not replying to Thunderwing. Then he looked with slight amusement to the twins and said, "Open a channel, and watch the fun."

* * *

Thunderwing waited for a response from the Harbinger with Arcee struggled. "This is Thunderwing calling the _Harbinger_. Wingspan, Pounce, do either of you read me? Dark Steel, are you there?

After a few more moments of silence on its end, a reply finally came. It just wasn't what Thunderwing expected. _"The Harbinger has a new captain."_

Thunderwing felt the oil in his joints freeze. "Megatron? MEGATRON?!"

" _You want me, Thunderwing? Then come and face me."_ Megatron demanded before cutting the communication.

Thunderwing had been distracted, allowing Arcee to shoot him in the chassis. Despite not being fazed, Thunderwing threw Arcee down to the snow, transformed into his dragon form and let out a loud roar and a pillar of flame into the air. Then Thunderwing spread his wings and took flight. Arcee, on her knees, took aim at Thunderwing with the intent of shooting out of the sky. But Thunderwing was already gone, so Arcee instead crawled to the sinkhole in the ice where Optimus Prime had fallen through. Looking down into the abyss, Arcee was fearing the worst.

"Optimus," she called out into the icy depths, but there no way he'd hear. "We can't lose you again."

* * *

Optimus Prime was nearly unconscious as he sank down into the icy waters of the Arctic. There was literally nothing around him except for the frigid waters and the chunks of ice that broke away from the tundra above. He had no idea of the condition of Arcee, whether she was still alive and still fighting or if Thunderwing destroyed her. Even if she'd somehow survived, Optimus reasoned that she'd try to reach him before he disappeared to the bottom on the cold Arctic. Optimus Prime wouldn't want her to, instead preferring that she stay safe.

As he sank further to the icy depths, he looked up at the hole through which he fell after Thunderwing practically incinerated him. The one benefit of the cold water was that it did away with the heat, but that was no more than a small comfort. Optimus Prime knew that he'd failed. He failed to stop Thunderwing, failed to find the Star Saber and worst of all, failed to defend the world he'd come to love. Feeling the Matrix pulsating in his chassis, Optimus Prime concluded that he truly didn't deserve it. Then he heard his name being spoken.

Optimus Prime looked up and saw Alpha Trion, or the image of Alpha Trion, floating right in front of him. The image was bathed in a bright light that shown brightly against the pitch-blackness of the Arctic waters. Optimus felt a sense of calm and peace as Alpha Trion's image looked on him.

"Alpha… Trion?"

* * *

Megatron paced along the bridge while he watched the view screen and he didn't like what he was watching. He watched his three giant combiners, along with what was left of the Insecticons, struggle against the Autobots. This was especially true for Abominus as he struggled against Computron, and for Bruticus as the Wreckers repeatedly outclassed him. Even Devastator met considerable resistance from the Autobots and their city cannons. Not even Dreadwing, for all his bravado, could push through the defenses. Needless to consider, Megatron was growing increasingly frustrated.

"The Autobots should've been annihilated by now, Shockwave. I expected better from our forces." he snapped.

Even calm and collected, Shockwave replied, "It would seem that the truce with the Autobots has numbed the Sparks of the Decepticons, perhaps even softened them."

"Or weakened them. That is unacceptable and I don't intend to let it go by the wayside." Megatron stated before storming away toward the bridge entrance.

"What would be your intention, Megatron?" Shockwave asked.

"My Decepticons have grown weak in my absence, Shockwave. It's high time that I motivate them in reclaiming their place in the universe," Megatron stated before stopping just short of the threshold and adding, "At least I'll have something to keep my busy until Thunderwing arrives."

"And what of Optimus Prime?" Shockwave asked.

"With Optimus Prime, I'll simply finish what I started long ago… I'll crush him with my bare hands." Megatron replied before leaving the bridge.

* * *

Stepping onto the Harbinger's hull, Megatron peered over the side at the battle below. What he witness only angered him further. The Wreckers were still outmatching Bruticus. The Autobots and the cannons of their wretched city were holding Devastator at bay and Abominus was locked in a stalemate with the newest Autobot combiner called Computron. But Megatron was more angered by the fact that his Decepticons were struggling at all. Indeed, they had grown weak in his absence, but now he was back and he was ready to show them how to fight.

Megatron leapt from the hull and into the air where he transformed into his spacecraft form. Then he gunned his engines and raced straight down toward Autobot City. The boom of his engines drew the attention of the Autobots on the ramparts. They watched as Megatron flew directly over them, moving far too fast for the cannons to get a lock on him. Megatron flew back up high where he briefly stalled in midair before falling back down to Earth.

On the ramparts, Bumblebee looked to Elita One and said to her, "I think things just got a lot worse for us."

Elita One replied, "I agree."

As he was coming down, Megatron shouted loudly, "AUTOBOTS, PREPARE FOR EXTERMINATION!" Then he fired his first shot.

* * *

Author's Note: Now it's getting serious. I won't get into the details of the chapter this time around so drop a few reviews my way and be back with the next chapter. Peace out!


	25. Darker Than The Darkest

Disclaimer: Hey, I got another just finished quickly. It must be because I wasn't distracted this time. Okay, WWE Diva Becky Lynch is pretty distracting.

I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XXV

Elita One looked up at the streak of light that was quickly approaching Autobot City before she shouted, "INCOMING!"

The Autobots scattered out of the way, running or falling in different directions. Elita One, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker fell back onto the floors of the ramparts, while Crosshairs, Highbrow and Bumblebee dropped to the inner courtyard below. As the first to recover, Elita One looked back up and saw Megatron jetting straight toward them and firing at them. The Autobots that were still on the ramparts returned fire, forcing Megatron to pull up and fly back up to the sky.

Meanwhile, the distraction of Megatron's attack allowed Devastator to approach the city walls. He drove his fists into the walls, causing the Autobots to fumble and stumble over each other. It didn't take long before the city cannons trained down on Devastator and opened fire on his back with a volley of shots. Devastator backed off for a moment before continuing his assault on the city. The Autobots that were still on the ramparts unloaded on Devastator, driving the giant back farther from the walls.

Further from the city, Drift, Depth Charge and Bulkhead continued fighting off Bruticus while Roulette provided long-range cover fire. Airazor and Stratosphere provided air cover along with Breakaway and Dark Steel, but it wasn't long before Dreadwing made his presence known. He quickly targeted the slowest of the Autobot flyers, that being Stratosphere, and fired at the oldest Wrecker.

"Someone get this blasted 'con off of me." the old Wrecker shouted.

"Hang on, Strat, I'm coming." Airazor replied and banked back toward her ally.

Dreadwing was making another pass toward Stratosphere before Airazor approached and fired upon him. She managed to drive Dreadwing back for a moment before he returned and fired back. Airazor banked away from the incoming fire before Breakaway came to her rescue, again forcing Dreadwing to back off. But the damage was done to Stratosphere; Dreadwing managed to score a couple of hits to his side and it forced the old Wrecker to dip toward the ground and transform into his robot form. He regrouped with Roulette and together they disposed of the last of the Insecticon drones.

But Dreadwing wasn't finished yet and he dive-bombed toward the two Wreckers. As he opened fired on them, Breakaway and Airazor jetted after him and fired his own volley of shots to drive him off once again. Stratosphere and Roulette scored a couple more hits before redirecting their fire on Bruticus. Bruticus was repeated swarmed by Drift, Depth Charge and Bulkhead at various areas of his massive frame and kept him off balance for the most part.

But then, Megatron returned to the fight and fired at the Wreckers and by coincidence, Bruticus as well. The gestalt was able to take the hits, but the Wreckers had to dive clear of the shots. Drift and Bulkhead were each rocked off their feet by an explosion while Depth Charge clung to the chassis of Bruticus but was grabbed and thrown to the ground hard, bouncing at least twice across way. Megatron passed over Roulette and Stratosphere, who fired on him as he went before he immediately rounded back.

He transformed in midair and landed directly across from the Stratosphere and Roulette. "A word to the not-so-wise; retreat or die."

"I'd rather die than retreat." Stratosphere declared and charged forward toward Megatron.

Megatron deployed an arm-mounted sword from below the barrel of his cannon and then braced himself for Stratosphere's attack. Stratosphere quickly lunged and tried to connect with a fist, missing his mark when Megatron stepped aside. He tried again to land a punch but Megatron easily sidestepped his attacks every time. Stratosphere was too slow compared to Megatron, and Megatron knew it as he avoided the next round of missed strike. Getting behind Stratosphere, Megatron landed a swift strike of his sword to the Wrecker's back.

Stratosphere staggered forward and reached for his back, feeling drips of oil seeping out of an open wound. Megatron was about to make his next move before Roulette opened fire on him. Turing his attention to her now, Megatron rushed for her but was halted by Drift, Bulkhead and Depth Charge. The four Wreckers quickly ganged up on Megatron, but neither of them managed to score a strike. It was Megatron with the advantage all the time; he kicked Roulette backwards hard, physically dominated Bulkhead and fought off Drift and Depth Charge singlehandedly.

The only time he was caught off guard was when Airazor rained fired down on him. Megatron weathered the attack from above and returned fire with his fusion cannon, forcing Airazor to bank away. It bought time for Depth Charge and Drift to make their move but Megatron saw it coming and handily disposed of them. He threw them both into Roulette and Bulkhead, knocking the four Wreckers down in a pile. Stratosphere took the opportunity to strike with Megatron's back turned and tried to punch his head off, but Megatron again avoid the blow and grabbed hold of the larger Wrecker from behind.

Then in one motion, Megatron impaled Stratosphere with his sword in full view of the other Wreckers. Time seemed to stand still as the Wreckers watched almost helplessly while Megatron lifted Stratosphere off the ground. He armed his fusion cannon and fire, blowing a gaping hole in Stratosphere's chassis. Then Megatron retracted his sword and Stratosphere was left standing for a moment before collapsing to the ground. The Wreckers were forced to watch as the light fading from Stratosphere's optics from the crystal blue to pitch black and his entire body's color faded to gray.

Megatron leered at the Wreckers and callously asked, "Anyone else?"

Depth Charge, enraged at the sudden loss of Stratosphere, rushed straight at Megatron with a heedless abandonment that anguish and fury. With sword and shield in hand, Depth Charge attempted to land a series of rapid, aggressive strikes against Megatron. Megatron was pushed back a few steps, using his own sword to block the strikes as they came while Depth Charge bushed his advance. It wasn't long before Drift, Roulette and Bulkhead joined in the fray.

Bruticus had recovered from the beating the Wreckers had given him and he attempted to advance on them as they fought Megatron. But he forgot about the Airazor. She was still airborne and thus, she still had the tactical advantage over the much larger gestalt. Flying behind the gestalt where he couldn't catch her, Airazor fired a missile target at the one weak point Bruticus had on his back. It was a direct hit, and Bruticus was forced to disengage into the five Combaticons.

Seizing the chance, the Autobots in the city opened fire at the Combaticons. Their shots wounded most of the team but didn't kill them and Onslaught ordered a retreat. At the same time, the city's cannons continued to keep Devastator at bay and Abominus and Computron were still locked in combat. As all this was happening, Dark Steel had halted her assistance and looked up toward the _Harbinger_.

Breakaway reached her where she floated in the air and hovered beside. "What's wrong?"

"Tigatron; he's still on the ship. We have to get him out of there." Dark Steel stated as she looked at Breakaway.

"How can you be sure if he's still alive?" Breakaway asked.

"He is alive, and I'm getting him out of there. You can either help me or stay out of my way." Dark Steel stated and, without waiting for a reply, flew up toward the ship.

Breakaway was clearly torn but he chose to follow Dark Steel. "Elita One's going to kill me."

Assuming his jet form, Breakaway followed Dark Steel toward the Harbinger and flew out in front of her. Arming his missiles, he fired at the underside where the hanger doors were located and impacted the hull. A plume of orange fire burst from the hull and one of the doors broke away. Breakaway and Dark Steel jetted into the ship where the transformed and armed up. Dark Steel then took the lead.

* * *

Skullcrusher checked the hull and told Shockwave, "We have intruders."

Shockwave already knew with certainty and muttered, "Dark Steel. Skullcrusher continue to maintain the ship's position. I will handle the intruders personally."

Without waiting for a protest, Shockwave armed his own weapon and walked out of the bridge with a slow but steady conviction. He knew it was Dark Steel, his creation, and he knew that she'd clearly defected to the Autobots. Just like Tempest, he thought. There really was some of her old identity left in her. Shockwave had every intention of rectifying the issue.

* * *

Dark Steel and Breakaway travel along the corridor with Dark Steel leading the way thanks to her knowledge of the area. Both were armed and ready for whatever happened upon them. They were careful of any possible traps that the crew would've set up, but they probably wouldn't have thought infiltration of the Harbinger was possible. The duo remained ever cautious regardless. Dark Steel stopped at the corner of their current corridor and peered along the corner. She saw nothing and no one around, but she carefully rounded the corner all the same with Breakaway.

"The brig is located down along this next corridor. Keep your optics lit for any trouble ahead." Dark Steel said to Breakaway.

Breakaway covered the rear while asking, "You're sure will find your friend down this way?"

"Yeah, it's where we also place Sentinel Prime." Dark Steel replied and didn't see the shocked stare in Breakaway's optics.

"What? Sentinel Prime is alive and he's on this ship?" he snapped before Dark Steel placed her hand of his mouth and pinned him to the wall.

They heard the faint but heavy clanging of metal feet on floor before Dark Steel pushed hard against Breakaway as far onto the wall as possible. As she expected, Apeface and Snapdragon stalked along the adjacent corridor. They were completely oblivious to the presence of the two intruders and continued on their patrol. Dark Steel waited and peered around the corner to watch Apeface and Snapdragon trudge on before removing her hand from Breakaway's mouth. That was when she noticed him looking right at her.

"What?"

Breakaway wasn't sure what to say or if he should've said anything, but he quietly replied, "Nothing. It's just… we haven't been this close to each other since... well…"

Dark Steel stepped back. "I'm not her. C'mon, let's keep moving."

As Dark Steel continued on, Breakaway was left to mentally kick himself for even thinking about Dark Steel as Tempest even though it was technically true. _You're an idiot, Breakaway._

* * *

Tigatron sat near the force field while he looked at Sentinel Prime lying motionless in the opposite corner. Unsure if he was still functional but unwilling to check, Tigatron could do nothing but quietly offer whatever sympathy he could. His thoughts trailed back to Sentinel's words regarding Cheetor. Tigatron had for so long been of the belief that his younger brother had died in the war for Cybertron, only to learn that Cheetor escaped and was out somewhere in the galaxy, possibly searching for him. Tigatron had no way of knowing and as long as he was a prisoner on the _Harbinger_ , he'd never know for sure.

"Tigatron…" Dark Steel's voice called out, and Tigatron reacted instantly when she suddenly appeared.

"Dark Steel?! What're you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"Getting you out!" Dark Steel replied just as Breakaway appeared.

"What's he doing here?" Tigatron asked in more surprise.

"Same thing," Breakaway said before he blasted the console and bringing down the force field. Dark Steel looked at him, annoyed. "What?"

"Not very subtle." she said.

"Subtlety's not on our side." he stated before he saw Sentinel Prime lying on the floor and rushed to him. "Sentinel, can you hear me? Sentinel?"

Sentinel optics blinked on and off and then flickered. "You… you are one of Optimus Prime's soldiers? You're… Breakaway?"

"We're getting you out of here, Sentinel." Breakaway hoisted Sentinel up to his feet and started to move him, with Tigatron assisting him.

"He doesn't much time left, although I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did." Tigatron stated.

"He's a Prime." Breakaway replied.

"I know, so I suppose that counts for something." Tigatron stated as he helped Breakaway carry Sentinel Prime.

The shot came without warning and struck Sentinel Prime cleanly on the chassis. A massive scorch mark appeared around a hole where the shot landed, and the momentum sent Sentinel, along with Breakaway and Tigatron, tumbling to the floor. Dark Steel had to watch them fall before she turned to source of the blast. Shockwave stood at the exit to the brig, flanked on each side by Apeface and Snapdragon. Dark Steel looked back at Breakaway and Tigatron; they were still alive but Sentinel Prime was left in even worse shape than before.

"You fragging psychopath. You've killed him." Tigatron snarled.

"Sentinel was already dead when the Harbinger retrieved him from deep space. It was only logical that deed be completed." Shockwave coldly stated.

Laying Sentinel down on the floor, Breakaway, Tigatron and Dark Steel adopted a fighting stance. Breakaway then said, "Let's see how logically you can explain the beating you're about to receive, Shockwave."

Shockwave gave a nod each to Apeface and Snapdragon, and both assumed their alternate forms in unison. Apeface assumed the form of his namesake, a literal robotic ape, while Snapdragon took the form of a wingless dragon. In response, Tigatron and Dark Steel assumed their alternate forms and moved against Apeface and Snapdragon. This left Breakaway to face Shockwave, and for Breakaway, he had revenge in mind for what Shockwave had done to Dark Steel.

"You're going to answer for what you did to Tempest, Shockwave." he snarled.

"What I did to Tempest, simply turning her into Dark Steel, is nothing compared to what I will do to you, boy." Shockwave replied, and his threat compelled Breakaway to charge forward.

* * *

Alpha Trion, or the image of Alpha Trion, seemed to approach Optimus Prime as he sank deeper into the cold abyss of the Arctic. The battle scars and scorches from Thunderwing's flames littered Optimus Prime's chassis but he hardly felt them at all. Most likely, this was due to the extremely low temperatures in which he now found himself. But his focus was on the unexpected appearance of Alpha Trion, who at that point was close enough for Optimus to touch him. It would've been a moot point as Alpha Trion was no more than an apparition… unless Optimus Prime himself had fallen in battle. It wouldn't be the first time.

" _Hello, Optimus."_ the apparition said. Each work was accompanied by an ethereal glow that came and went.

"Alpha Trion. Where am I? Am I one with the Matrix once more?" Optimus asked.

" _Far from it. I fear that this is the last time you and I will convene. Perhaps we will meet again in a future when Cybertron as been restored and true peace sweeps across the universe."_ Alpha Trion stated, his form flashing with each word spoken.

Optimus Prime grew distraught and said, "Forgive me, Alpha Trion. I failed to protect my adopted home. I failed to protect my fellow Autobots and I failed to foresee the return of Megatron. I do not deserve to call myself a Prime."

" _Optimus, you're so quick to condemn yourself, and yet you've done more than anyone could've expected. Even now, you are blind to the truth of the Primes… and of your true origin."_ Alpha Trion stated.

"Alpha, I was no more than a simple worker during the Golden Age, where as Thunderwing was once known as Nominus Prime. I falsely assumed that he was the Thirteenth Prime, and I was wrong. I cannot find the Star Saber any more than I can identify the Thirteen Prime."

" _Even now, you do not realize that answer you seek is much closer than you know. The Thirteenth Prime has continued to exist long after we have disappeared from Cybertron. He has lived among all Cybertronians, a decision he made himself to better know and understand them and their needs. And he understood that freedom is…"_ Alpha Trion stopped, as he wanted Optimus Prime to finish.

Optimus Prime did finish the quote. "…the right of sentient beings." The realization sunk in instantly.

Alpha Trion gave a nod to Optimus. _"Indeed, Optimus. You are the Thirteenth Prime, our Visionary and have been since our creation. With the eventually splintering of the Thirteen, you instead chose to be reborn as Orion Pax. I remained to watch over you until you would eventually became Optimus Prime."_

"All this, time, I never assumed… the Star Saber. I still need to retrieve. It is the only way to save the Earth from the Decepticons… and to defeat Thunderwing." Optimus Prime said, his resolved slowly returning to him.

" _The Star Saber, the blade used wielded by Prima to first defeat Unicron, is much closer than you think, Optimus,"_ Alpha Trion began to seemingly vanish, but his final words to Optimus Prime resonated against the cold water. _"Farewell, Optimus Prime. Til all are one."_

"Alpha Trion, wait…" Optimus Prime reached for Alpha Trion, but he was gone.

Optimus Prime was left alone into the cold, dark water, but he no longer had unanswered questions save for one. It was in regards to the location of the Star Saber and yet, Optimus Prime felt as he already knew. The Matrix of Leadership reacting in steady pulses akin to a beacon reinforced this belief. Optimus Prime knew without knowing exactly where he was going to find the Star Saber, as he was looking straight down into the abyss. Certain of where needed to go, Optimus Prime began a fast but steady dive toward what he could only assume with a faint blue light.

AS he dove down, he heard and felt his armor creaking under the slowly increasing pressure of the water. Moments of pain washed over him, too small to hinder his progress but profound enough for him to register them. He labored against the pressure while struggling to see where he was going, and the fight blue light far below him proved to be his only guide. Every half mile he dove downward made him cringe and thoughts of not making it to the end weighed on him as much as the pressure. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop and he wouldn't stop.

The light below grew and grew the closer he traveled toward it, even as the pressure worsened. Hastening his dive, Optimus Prime finally reached the bottom of the Arctic and dropped to his hands and knees. He was already worn from the dive, his chassis was collapsed in on itself and he could barely move. Struggling to move his head alone, Optimus Prime looked forward at the ethereal blue light against pitch-black darkness. He'd found it; the Star Saber itself.

Ornately constructed and bathed in the blue light that led Optimus Prime to it, the Star rested in a large chunk of rock akin to the human legend of King Arthur. It'd had been on Earth all that time, waiting to be retrieved. Optimus Prime moved toward it slowly, still struggling mightily against the icy Arctic waters. He dropped to the ocean floor several times, and every time, his entire body seemed to weaken. But he refused to give in to the pain and he was within reach of the Star Saber.

Optimus Prime mustered all the strength he had to stand on the bedrock and gripped the hilt of the Star Saber. He pulled, but the Star Saber wouldn't budge. He pulled harder and harder, even placing his foot on the stone in which the weapon was embedded but to no avail. Optimus release his grip and stared at his hands in disbelief that after all he'd endured, he couldn't move the Star Saber from its place.

"No! No, it cannot be. I cannot remove it," he claimed with utter shock in his voice. "Alpha Trion, help me. It cannot end like this."

* * *

The walls and halls of the infirmary continued to tremble as the battle raged outside, but Triage, Cerebros, Jazz and Ultra Magnus had no intentions to leave their human allies to die. Spike, Carly and Marissa were armed as well while Chip, Daniel and Verity remained close to Hotrod's bedside. Eagerness to join the battle outside gradually became too much for Ultra Magnus to ignore. He started for the exit out of the infirmary, prompting Triage to stop him.

"Where do you think you're going, Magnus?"

"I'm sorry, doctor, but I'm not staying in this room any longer if the other Autobots are out there fighting." Ultra Magnus snapped.

"I'm with Magnus, doc. We'd best stop hiding here and get out there." Jazz added.

"Neither of you are at optimal operating efficiency," Triage exclaimed in protest. "You'll both get killed out there if you go now."

"And if we don't go, everyone dies. We're not debating this anymore, Triage. We're going. Let's go, Jazz." Ultra Magnus said and rushed out of the infirmary with Jazz right behind him.

"We're going too, Triage." Spike said before he, Carly and Marissa left the infirmary.

"By Primus. Cerebros, stay with the other humans. DO NOT let them leave this room." Triage then ran out of the infirmary with his own weapon in hand.

Triage managed to catch up with Ultra Magnus, Jazz and the three humans on their way to the ramparts when the wall ahead of them suddenly exploded. Shrapnel went flying, forcing the Jazz, who was closest, to shield the humans. A bolt of electrical energy shot forth and struck Jazz in the back and caused him to collapse. Another bolt jolted Triage. Spike, Carly and Marissa backed away towards Ultra Magnus while Jazz and Triage struggled to get back up. All of them had the guns trained toward the giant hole in the wall and Josie Beller emerged from within, electrical energy crackling out all around her steel covered body. Her eyes were sparking with energy, almost like a demon come to life and her face with laced with pure rage. She leered at the group but centered her gaze at Marissa specifically.

Josie angrily snarled over the cracking surges, "Remember what I told you about you not being sorry? Well now, you're about to be."

* * *

Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. I'll keep things short; Megatron arrives and kills Stratosphere, Dark Steel and Breakaway attempt to rescue Tigatron and Sentinel, Josie goes on the attack and most importantly, Optimus Prime find the Star Saber... and CAN'T lift it? Yeah, I borrowed elements from stories of King Arthur. Seemed to fit. Plus, now we know who is the Thirteenth Prime. Pretty obvious but it still works.

Anyway, be sure to leave feedback and I'll be back soon with the next chapter. Peace out, ya'll.


	26. Retaliation

Disclaimer: I have terrible news, my friends. I just had both my arm amputated and I'm now resigned to using my tongue to type up the remained of this story. I apologize any future mistakes.

I don't own the rights to Transformers. I miss my arms. (crying) I want my arms back. (crying loudly) I'M IN A GLASS CAGE OF EMOTION. (rolling on the floor in a puddle of man tears)

* * *

Chapter XXVI

Optimus Prime pulled on the hilt of the Star Saber with every bit of might and effort he had in his circuits. But it was to no avail as the Star Saber seemed to refuse its release from the stone. Unwilling to give up, and knowing he was needed back in Autobot City, Optimus Prime doubled his efforts. Then he tripled them, even placing his right foot onto the stone for leverage while ignoring the freezing Arctic water. Still, the Saber couldn't be moved. Optimus dropped to his knees in frustration and exhaustion and the near freezing temperatures seemed to have little to do with it.

He inwardly wondered what he had to do to release the Star Saber from its underwater stone pedestal, even wondering what Primus himself would have him do. Bowing his head in defeat, Optimus Prime initially failed to notice the faint glow within his chassis. That was where the Matrix of Leadership was stored and within it was the collective wisdom of the Primes that had held it, including the Thirteen. Optimus soon took notice of the glow as it lightened the darkness around him.

It was as if he could hear their voices; the voices of the Thirteen of which he'd learn that he was one only recently. The light grew and grew, lighting the darkness further, and Optimus Prime looked up at the Star Saber. He stood up, approached the Star Saber and grasped the hilt again. This time, the Star Saber began glowing in the same light as the Matrix within Optimus Prime's chassis. He couldn't explain it to Arcee had she been present, nor could he fathom it himself, but Optimus Prime could feel the collective consciousness of the Thirteen within him and he began to speak...

"With the collective wisdom of the Thirteen Original Primes which lies within the Matrix of Leadership with which you commune, I ask you, the great weapon of Prima, to aid my race in this most dire time of need. I ask that this mighty weapon, this Star Saber, light our darkest hour."

The Star Saber's light glowed brighter against the dark, frigid waters and then disappeared just as quickly. Optimus Prime was left in a state of confusion mixed with despair, unsure of what he'd said or done wrong. He went to remove his hand from the Saber's hilt, only to discover that he couldn't do so. The light returned, bathing Optimus Prime and illuminating the wider area around him and chasing away any local sea life. Optimus Prime had gone stiff and rigid, not from the icy water but by something within him. He began to speak again, only this time it was involuntarily and it wasn't just his own voice….

" _ **We are Prima. We are Vector. We are Alpha. We are Solus. We are Micronus. We are Alchemist. We are Nexus. We are Onyx. We are Amalgamous. We are Quintus. We are Maximo. We are Megatronus. We are Optimus. WE ARE PRIME!"**_

The light around Optimus Prime brighten second by second, illumination the ocean depths and engulfing Optimus. Optimus screamed out but it wasn't out of fear. He felt a certain degree of calmness, as if the sparks of the Primes were gathered around him. Alignment didn't matter. The transgressions of certain Primes were hardly considered. They're all still the Thirteen, and Optimus had always been one of them. He hadn't even registered the fact that through all the excitement, he'd only just removed the Star Saber from its stone prison. An immense change was happening to Optimus Prime, both spiritual and physical.

* * *

"Optimus Prime, do you read me? Optimus, say something so I know you're okay," Arcee had been trying to contact Optimus since he'd fallen through the ice. He hadn't responded and her joints were freezing up. She didn't have much time left. "Optimus, please. If you can hear my voice, you have to respond. Please."

At first, Arcee heard garbled static and some white noise before Optimus Prime finally responded, _"Optimus Prime to Arcee…"_

"Optimus, are you okay," Arcee frantically asked before she noticed the dark water in the ice hole steadily brightening. "What is that?"

" _Arcee, you may wish to stand aside."_ Optimus Prime claimed as the bright light grew beneath the surface.

Arcee knew something was coming up from the icy depths and rushed clear of the hole as Optimus Prime instructed. It had to be Optimus Prime making his way up from below, but he was coming up too fast. Impossibly fast. Arcee had less than a millisecond to figure out the sheer impossibility of his rapid ascent before the icy water suddenly shot out of the hole. Like a geyser, the water rose into the cold. Much of it froze instantly while the rest of fell back to the tundra. The sheer force of the explosion sent Arcee falling to the ice. When she was able to look back, she couldn't come close to believing what she was seeing.

"Optimus…?"

* * *

Computron and Abominus continued their struggle, each of them trying to physically manhandle the other into submission. It didn't end until Abominus head butted Computron and sent him staggering back toward the walls of Autobot City. Computron stumbled and his back hit the wall, sending a tremor through the city and dropping a few of the Autobots still on the ramparts. Abominus advanced, but Computron had a surprise. He deployed a series of turrets on his shoulders and sent out an electrical charge that stunned Abominus and pushed him back. As soon as he recovered, Computron moved forward.

Abominus was completely unprepared for the sheer pummeling Computron gave him, with strikes hitting him on the face and chassis and back again. Computron continued his assault with an ever-increasing sense of urgency. It was as if he knew something was going to happen that would result in loss. Watching from the rampart, Brainstorm saw the movements Computron was taking as he wrestled with Abominus again. The way Computron moved told Brainstorm what he already knew; Computron was fighting on borrowed time.

Meanwhile, the Wreckers continued their assault against Megatron… and they were losing. Megatron had been singlehandedly beating each Wrecker as they cam at him. From slugging Bulkhead, tossing Roulette into Drift, shooting at Airazor anytime she flew toward him or completely outmatching Depth Charge, it was all Megatron. The Wreckers refused to be so easily defeated, especially after the death of Stratosphere, and they press their numbers advantage.

Megatron merely sneered at them and motioned them to come at him once more. Depth Charge moved in first, still enraged by the loss of Stratosphere. Sword and shield in hand, he attacked Megatron with reckless abandon. Megatron blocked and dodged the varying attacks while landing heavy hits to Depth Charge's shield before eventually shattering it. Depth Charge was surprised before he was backhanded to the ground and Megatron prepared to finish him off.

Drift and Bulkhead ran into the fight, collectively attacking Megatron. Drift made use of his duel swords and took swipes at Megatron. Bulkhead deployed his mace and tried to pound Megatron into the ground any change he got. Roulette soon entered the fray with a whirlwind of strikes while Airazor hovered in the air taking shots from above. Megatron paused for a less than a second and took a shot at Airazor, forcing her to dodge to the side. Then she was taken out of the air when Megatron tossing Drift into her.

Bulkhead and Roulette continued to fight Megatron but they were no match for him. Megatron tossed Roulette into Bulkhead and sent both tumbling over each other. Depth Charge battled back with his sword, driving Megatron backward before Megatron beat him back. Depth Charge fell to the ground on one knee as the Wreckers regrouped around him. Megatron, unfazed, smirked at the team.

"It's been said that the Wreckers were some of the roughest Autobots around, but from what I've seen, I find that to be a dubious claim. I expected more." Megatron taunted the Wreckers.

"You want more, Megatron," Depth Charge growled and stood up, sword in hand and twisting. "I'll give you more."

Megatron didn't respond and instead motioned Depth Charge to him. Depth Charge rushed forward heedlessly but with purpose. The anger from watching Stratosphere die in front of him drove Depth Charge to send an onslaught of slashes and swipes. Each attack narrowly missed Megatron and he seemed to be taunting Depth Charge without uttering a word. He eventually grabbed Depth Charge's sword with his free hand and snapped it in half before kicking Depth Charge away.

The other Wreckers pushed forward with Drift and Roulette in front, Bulkhead in the rear and Airazor in the sky. Drift and Roulette teamed up against Megatron, using a combination of strikes to try to wear him down. Megatron easily fought back, grabbing Roulette and tossing her into Drift. They tumbled over each other and Megatron stalked them before Bulkhead slammed right into him and they fell to the ground. Megatron drove his elbow into Bulkhead face to get him off his back, but he also allowed Airazor to fire a few rapid-fire shots from the air.

Megatron roared in rage and fired his cannon directly at Airazor, hitting her in the shoulder and clipping her left wing. She fell to the ground hard, which Roulette saw happen. Roulette rushed toward Airazor but Megatron cut her off, bashing her in the chassis and flinging her into Drift and Bulkhead. Megatron advance on Airazor and stood over her damaged frame. He deployed an old tool from his left hand; the chained energon mace. Airazor looked with fright at the glowing violet weapon while Megatron sneered down at her before he reared the mace back behind him.

He thrust his arm forward, but something caught the weapon and he looked back at the source. Depth Charge, Roulette, Drift and Bulkhead all had a hold of the mace and they were pulling on it for all they were worth. Megatron pulled on the chain as hard as he managed, putting every bit of strength into his effort. The Wreckers pulled their end and it appeared as if they were going to win out. But Megatron spun around and fired his fusion cannon, sending all but Depth Charge scurrying out of the way. Then Megatron pulled the mace, taking Depth Charge with it.

Depth Charge deployed his sword at the last second but Megatron still caught him by the neck and held him there, right where Airazor could see him. "Such heroic nonsense." he snarled as he placed the cannon barrel to Depth Charge's chassis.

"NO!" Airazor screamed as Megatron pulled the trigger, and a burst of violet fire and chunks of metal flew into the air.

Megatron threw Depth Charge's charred frame to the ground where it faded to gray and the optics dimmed to black. "Would anyone else like to step up?" he asked.

Before answer was heard, a loud, piercing and primal scream sounded across the sky. Megatron, the Wreckers, the Autobots in the city; all looked toward the source of the scream that sounded utterly unnatural. Megatron knew what was coming without even focusing the lenses of his optics. In the distance, he saw the winged dragon form of Thunderwing approaching faster than the fastest Seekers from the Golden Age of Cybertron. Once he was within reach, Thunderwing dropped to the ground and transformed where he faced down Megatron.

"MEGATRON!" he bellowed.

Megatron ignored the rest of the Wreckers as they retreated back toward the city with their dead, and he said to Thunderwing, "I've been waiting for you to arrive."

"You stole my ship." Thunderwing snapped.

"It was NEVER your ship, and it never will be." Megatron declared before he and Thunderwing rushed. Then they came to blows…

* * *

Breakaway went back first into the wall after Apeface threw him across the corridor. The ape-like robot pounded his massive chest and roared before charging forward, but Breakaway managed to move aside. Apeface ultimately slammed headfirst into the wall. Breakaway looked around. Tigatron and Snapdragon where engaged in a literal beast war, while Dark Steel combated Shockwave on her own. Shockwave seemed to outmatched Dark Steel at every turn and eventually got her down on the floor.

"Stay down, Dark Steel." he said coldly.

"Rot in the Pit, Shockwave." Dark Steel said in defiance.

Shockwave didn't respond and reached down for Dark Steel, only to be shot in the chassis repeated by Breakaway. After taking the shots, Shockwave returned fire with a larger blast from his arm cannon. Breakaway moved clear of the shot and fired back, peppering Shockwave again and giving Dark Steel a chance to fight back. She landed a strong punch to the single optic that made up Shockwave's face before she and Breakaway started working together.

Tigatron continued fighting off Snapdragon in his tiger form, swiping at the dragon bot with his claws and roaring as he did. Snapdragon, as his name seemed to suggest, snapped his jaws at Tigatron and sent the tiger recoiling for a moment. Tigatron pounced and landed atop of Snapdragon, swiping away at his back and biting into it. It wasn't long before Apeface rushed forward and tackled Tigatron. They transformed simultaneously and Tigatron wailed on Apeface with a series of strikes to his face. Snapdragon transformed and joined Apeface, but Tigatron managed to fight them off at the same time before tossing Apeface into Snapdragon. Before they had a chance to recover, Tigatron fired a shot of his gun at Snapdragon's face from point-blank range. Snapdragon's face rained pieces of metal to the floor while the rest of his corpse dropped in a heap.

Apeface managed to ambush Tigatron from behind and toss him into the wall. Dark Steel noticed this while she and Breakaway continued to battle Shockwave and she slid beneath his legs while deploying his gun. She fired a shot that caught Apeface perfectly in the back. Apeface turned to face Dark Steel but took another shot and then another from Breakaway. Tigatron recovered and snapped Apeface's neck, sending sparks and oil flowing and dropping the newly dead bot to the floor. Tigatron regrouped with Dark Steel and Breakaway and they quickly surrounded Shockwave, who appeared unafraid of his sudden numbers disadvantage.

"Three against one, Shockwave. You ready to give up?" Breakaway taunted Shockwave.

"Though you may possess the tactically advantageous of superior numbers, I would advise you that numbers alone would be something of an illogical belief." Shockwave claimed and readied himself for battle.

Tigatron exchanged glances between himself, Dark Steel and Breakaway before saying, "Let's see if that logic proves trues."

Shockwave took a fighting stance and said, "You will try; you will fail."

* * *

Ultra Magnus, Jazz and Triage did everything they could against Josie Beller's electrically-charged rampage while defending their human allies. They fired their guns in rapid succession, but Beller had erected some kind of electrical field to deflect the shots. The shot bounced from the field and cracked into the wall, while Beller advanced on the three Autobots. Spike, Carly and Marissa had gun and they fired on Beller, but the bullets did next to nothing again her field. Beller stopped, focused the energy around her and screamed, sending a pulse out from her body and throughout the corridor.

The lights in the city flickered wildly before suddenly shutting down, and the only light emanated from Beller. Whatever the pulse was that burst from Beller affected the Autobots; Magnus, Jazz and Triage all dropped to the floor but they didn't turn gray. They weren't dead when Marissa checked them, but the optics were dimmed and she ultimately determined that Beller used an electromagnetic pulse.

"No more Autobots to help you, traitors." Beller snarled and stalked the group.

"Spike, take Carly and head back to the infirmary." Marissa said while aiming her gun toward Beller.

"We're not leaving you by yourself, Marissa." Spike replied.

Marissa reared back and shot the floor in front of Spike, which clarified that she was dead serious. "GO! NOW!"

Reluctant as they were to leave Marissa behind, Spike and Carly had no choice but to bolt back down the corridor. Beller was unconcerned when she said, "They can run all they want; won't make a difference."

Marissa aimed her gun at Beller with her healthy arm, the other still in a cast. "I'll stop you if I have to, Beller."

Beller tensed up and sent out another pulse, unknowingly affecting Triage as he tried to rise. "What are you going to do, shoot me? I'd say you'd be doing me a favor. Look at me, Fairborne… YOU THINK I WANT TO KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE LOST?"

Her enraged scream sent a massive pulse throughout the corridor and caused the lights around them to shatter. Marissa could only instinctively shield her head from the shards of glass and sparks that flew down from the ceiling. Beller didn't flinch. She sent electricity crackling from her flesh and metal body and her eyes crackled along with the rest of her. Marissa raised her head, her face having been scraped by falling glass, and she watched Beller's tantrum seem to reach its breaking point. Thinking back to what Beller told her, a case could've been made that maybe, just maybe, Marissa could reason with her.

"I know what you've lost, Josie. I've experience the harshest pain anyone could imagine. We're alike, you and I." Marissa said in a scared but calm voice.

"DON'T! Don't you fucking pretend to understand what I've lost. You couldn't possibly understand. How could you at all," Josie snapped, but Marissa sensed and break in her voice. Josie was ready to break down. "Dylan died in Seattle and I wasn't there for him. He died in Seattle because of the robot's war."

"His name was William Lennox. He was my fiancé and I had to watch him die on the Moon, right in front of me. Believe me; I know the feeling of a loved one to a war I never wanted." Marissa stated, all while she inched herself toward her gun.

"And you still fight for the aliens." Josie accused.

"I fight for the Autobots, against the Decepticons and any other threat to Earth. I do it because it's the same thing William would've done." Marissa added.

"The alien's war caused this; turned me into a freak. A walking circuit breaker."

"Humans turned you into this thing. I believe the Autobots can fix what was done to you. Stand down, Josie. Let us help you." Marissa pleaded, all while moving closer toward her gun.

It appeared the Marissa's words were getting through to Josie since her electrical field was dissipating. Marissa remained cautious and careful to not give her intentions away. Josie looked distressed, broken down and ready to cry or snap or whatever her feeling intended for her. Then she caught sight of Marissa reaching for her gun and snapped off a bolt of energy. The gun disintegrated into small bits while the blast from its destruction pushed Marissa back. She looked and saw Josie Beller stalking toward her with electricity jolting out of her hate-filled eyes.

She snarled, "You almost had me."

* * *

Soaring high in the sky but flying with brutal malice, Dreadwing prepared another dive bomb maneuver toward the ramparts where the Autobots were stationed. He specifically targeted the point where Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were stationed and fired a missile in their direction. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe along with Crosshairs caught sight of the missile and fired on it. The missile blew apart in the sky but another one was just fired by Dreadwing. The three Autobots managed to shoot down that missile as well but a third missile was already too close to be shot down. It hit the panel in front of Sideswipe and caused the flooring to collapse under him.

Sideswipe lost his balance and would've fallen down to the hills below had Sunstreaker not caught him into time. Struggling to pull him up, Sunstreaker joked, "Sideswipe, you really gotta lay off those energon goodies."

"If we get through this, I'll share the wealth." Sideswipe replied.

Sunstreaker smirked at Sideswipe as he started to pull him up, but the approach of Dreadwing from above caught their attention. Crosshairs was still shooting anything mobile and he opened fire on Dreadwing as he came. Dreadwing returned fire and shot up the ramparts and although most of the shots missed their marks, Crosshairs took a shot to the leg and doubled over. Dreadwing transformed and stormed toward Crosshairs, who barely managed to rise to his feet to fight. He threw a wide punch but Dreadwing countered, spun and finally tossed Crosshairs clear across the rampart into the unsuspecting Highbrow and Bumblebee. Sunstreaker, with only one hand, shot at Dreadwing and struck him in the back.

Dreadwing stalked toward Sunstreaker, who managed to pull Sideswipe up enough for him to get a shot in. The shot struck Dreadwing in the side of the face, and that should've bought Sunstreaker enough time to completely pulled up Sideswipe. Except, it wasn't enough. Sunstreaker pulled with both hands but without warning, Dreadwing impaled him from behind with his sword. Sideswipe could only watch as Dreadwing hoisted Sunstreaker up, all while Sunstreaker lost his grip on Sideswipe. Dropped back down and hanging by the edge, Sideswipe watched Dreadwing drop Sunstreaker over the edge to the hills below, ironically reaching for his deceased brother.

"No, no, NO," he shouted before he looked back up at Dreadwing and the barrel of his gun. "You killed my brother."

"Do not fret, Autobot. You will join him soon." Dreadwing replied coldly as he cocked his gun.

Then all forms of battle came to a halt at the sudden sound of something unknown. The combined stop their fights, as did Megatron and Thunderwing. The Autobots on the ramparts ceased their firing as well. Everyone looked up at the sky. Something was coming toward the city and from the sounds of it, it was coming fast… impossibly fast. Megatron stepped forward on the ground once he caught sight of an object quickly approaching and he knew it wasn't one of his Decepticons.

As the object drew closer toward the city, there were signs of familiarity about it, particularly the red, silver and blue color scheme. Then Megatron stared in completely and utter disbelief. He knew the identity of the new arrival. Thunderwing was in equal shock as were the Autobots atop the rampart, until Elita One cracked a joyful and hopeful smile. The new arrival flew over the city, dropping a blue object down into the inner courtyard, before taking up a stationary position above it and there was no more denying that it was Optimus Prime complete with a new, more robust and flight capable form… and in his right hand was the Star Saber.

* * *

Author's Note: APRIL FOOL'S! (laughing maniacally… like Megatron)


	27. Day Of Reckoning

Disclaimer: Finally have another chapter done and it's getting to the epic final battle. Here we go, kiddies.

I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XXVII

There was a massive pause as everyone both within and out of the city wall looked up at the sky at the unexpected return of Optimus Prime. It wasn't just his initial reappearance that stunned everyone, but also he apparently upgraded form that came complete with flight capabilities. But the most telling difference, at least from the point of view of Thunderwing, was that Optimus Prime had the Star Saber in his possession. Before he could react, Megatron waylaid him before he turned attention to Optimus Prime.

"DECEPTICONS: DESTROY OPTIMUS PRIME, NOW!"

Dreadwing was the first to take his shot against Optimus Prime and he managed to catch him on the shoulder and push him back slightly. Another shot caught Optimus Prime in the opposite shoulder and another to the chassis, but any resultant damage was nonexistent. Deploying his faceplate, Optimus Prime gunned the new jetpack of his new form and jetted straight toward Dreadwing, who continued to fire up at him. The time was now to see what the Star Saber could do, so Optimus Prime reared the weapon behind him. The weapon glowed a bright blue and then he swiped hard without having even come close to Dreadwing.

Instead, a massive wave of energy sprung forth and straight toward Dreadwing and hit him harder than anything imaginable. Dreadwing was taken off his feet and sent sailing over the edge, missing Sideswipe who was still hanging on for dear life. Sideswipe watched Dreadwing tumble to the ground below before a hand took hold of him and he knew instantly that it was Optimus Prime. He looked up and saw Arcee instead as she hoisted him up onto the ramparts. Elita One, Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots regrouped and all witnessed Optimus Prime flying overhead.

"What'd I miss?" Arcee asked.

"Oh nothing much. Just the usual shooting, blasting and crashing of a typical firefight." Crosshairs quipped.

Elita One looked up at Optimus Prime as he flew over the city and asked, "I guess Optimus found the Star Saber… and got an upgrade."

Sideswipe looked over the edge to where his brother had fallen moments after Dreadwing killed him. Sunstreaker laid in a heap of grayed out dead metal, while Dreadwing stirred to his knees still functional. Enraged, Sideswipe opened fire on Dreadwing as he was standing up and this was followed by the other Autobots. Dreadwing took a few shots to his chassis and shoulders before transforming and fleeing for his life, but Sideswipe just kept shooting until Elita One eased him down.

Meanwhile, Optimus Prime flew high into the sky and started back around toward the city where Devastator was still pounding on the walls. The Combaticons were still present but not in their combined form and Abominus hand gained the upper hand over Computron. The Combaticons opened fire on Optimus Prime as he jetted toward them, managing to strike his new armored form but with little to no success in slowing him down. Deploying his upgraded laser rifle, Optimus Prime fired back with a single shot.

That single shot landed in the space between the five Combaticons and the ensuing blast sent them all flying in multiple directions. The attack didn't go unnoticed by Devastator, who abandoned his assault on the city and deployed a pair of giant drills from his hands. Optimus Prime approached hard and fast, and Devastator took a mighty swing with his right drill. He missed as Optimus Prime flew around the drill with ease, and missed again after Optimus flew beneath his legs. Optimus Prime flew behind Devastator and opened fire on his back, jolting the giant and causing him to lumber forward. Devastator spun around only to take a shot to the face, which was enough to cause him to disengage into the six Constructicons.

The eleven Decepticons regrouped and all opened fire on Optimus Prime as he flew overhead, but none of them were prepared for the next attack to come. Gripping the hilt of the newly acquired Star Saber, Optimus Prime reared back and then swiped hard. The same wave of energy rushed forward toward the group of cons and hit the ground right in front of them. The wave sent each and every Decepticon flying every which way. The Autobots on the ramparts contributed with firepower, sending the Decepticons scattering.

Optimus Prime turned his attention to the ongoing fight between Abominus and Computron, where the former was handily beating the latter. Rearing back the Star Saber, Optimus send a massive wave out that struck Abominus in the back. Abominus was stunned, allowing Computron to recover and fight back. Optimus tried for another attack but was suddenly accosted by a random blast from Megatron. Megatron transformed mid-flight and grappled with Optimus Prime, sending each one tumbling through to the ground where the each quickly recovered.

"I like the new look, Optimus, but it won't be enough. This time, I'll make certain that you stay dead." Megatron snapped.

Twirling the Star Saber in one hand and then taking a defensive stance, Optimus Prime replied, "You should not make promises which you cannot keep, Megatron."

"You won't live long enough to worry about that, Prime." Megatron declared before charging forward.

Optimus Prime braced himself for the collision that sent both himself and Megatron tumbling to the ground. In the momentum, the Star Saber was flung from Optimus Prime's hands and landed under an outcropping. Optimus Prime and Megatron tumbled over each other before righting themselves and Megatron through as hard a punch to Prime's face. He landed a few more strikes before Optimus Prime struck back with a hard haymaker. Megatron was stunned and Optimus Prime pressed his advantage with more hard strikes.

It didn't take long before Megatron regained the upper hand with a head-butt and continued to pound Optimus Prime. Optimus punched back and they traded blows before landing one each at the exact same time. Momentum took over and sent both flying in opposite directions. Megatron hit the ground hard while Optimus Prime rolled back to a knee, and Megatron charged forward while firing his cannon. Optimus Prime fired his rifle and both shots landed and rocked both of them. They closed in and landed haymakers again at the same time, driving them backward and reaching a stalemate. Optimus Prime looked to his right and saw the Star Saber nearby. He rolled toward it and quickly retrieved it, while Megatron deployed his chain link mace.

"So that's the Star Saber? Impressive, but I'm curious to see how it handles in a real fight." Megatron claimed before swinging his mace straight down in the ground.

"If you wish for a firsthand account, then you need not ask twice." Optimus Prime replied and reared the Star Saber back.

Before they could reengage, the dragon form of Thunderwing approached with a mighty roar followed by a stream of fire. The fire scorched the grassland between Megatron and Optimus Prime and produced a massive wall of flames, forcing the two rivals to shield their optics. Thunderwing landed right in the middle of the fire and caused it to dissipate, and Megatron thought he'd found an opening to attack. It wasn't the case as Thunderwing whipped his tail straight at Megatron, knocking him across the field and into a nearby rock formation. Thunderwing transformed and turned his attention to Optimus Prime and the Star Saber, and he smiled with malicious glee.

"I suppose congratulations are in order, seeing as you've found the Star Saber. Now, hand it over." Thunderwing demanded.

Optimus Prime remained in a defensive stance and glanced at the Star Saber. "The Star Saber is not yours to claim, Thunderwing."

"You don't want to make this anymore difficult than it needs to be, Optimus. So I'll say it again but only once more; hand it over." Thunderwing demanded, deploying his sword in the process.

Gripping the hilt of the Star Saber, Optimus Prime coldly declared, "Never."

Thunderwing was clearly annoyed, enraged and finished trying to talk his way to the Star Saber. He was being given no other choice by Optimus Prime but to take the weapon. Assuming his dragon form, he spewed a massive burst of fire directly at Optimus Prime, who had no time to move as the fire engulfed him. Thunderwing pressed his attack by increasing the intensity of the fire and not stopping for even a slight moment. The silhouette of Optimus Prime could barely be seen within the fire only to disappear as the intensity grew. Thunderwing eventually halted his assault and returned to his robot form.

He scanned the inferno for any sign of Optimus Prime, but cared little as long as the Star Saber was undamaged. As he started to move toward the burning wall of fire, he started to hear something strange. Despite knowing relatively little about Earth, Thunderwing knew the sound of a running vehicle engine whenever he heard it. He still wasn't prepared to see a huge eighteen-wheeler barreling straight at him and attempted to beat a hasty retreat. He was late on the fallback and was run out of the way to the side of the monstrous truck as it blew passed him.

The huge truck suddenly launched its cab into the air and then transformed into the newly airborne Optimus Prime and went soaring into the air. Thunderwing recovered enough to catch sight of Optimus Prime flying back toward him, rearing back the Star Saber as he came. With a mighty swipe, Optimus Prime sent a wave of energy directly at Thunderwing. Thunderwing had no time to move and was caught with the force of the wave, which sent him flying in the opposite direction. Optimus Prime halted his approach from the sky and prepared to finish off Thunderwing before he was caught in the crossfire of Megatron.

In his spacecraft form, Megatron rammed directly into Optimus Prime, causing him to drop the Star Saber to the ground and a few yards from Thunderwing. Thunderwing looked up as the two eternal rivals engaged in a dogfight through the sky and, realizing the golden opportunity in front of him, made a mad dash for the Star Saber. Optimus and Megatron continued their dogfight with Megatron chasing Optimus but not be able to shoot him down. Optimus was able to outmaneuver nearly each and every shot Megatron threw at him before he caught sight of Thunderwing rushing for the Star Saber. Spinning around, Optimus Prime landed a perfectly timed strike on Megatron, flipping him up and over and then grabbing his wings.

Optimus Prime spun Megatron around multiple times before finally releasing him and sending Megatron spiraling away. Then he bolted toward Thunderwing, who was literally within inches of the Star Saber. Thunderwing seemed to sense Optimus Prime coming and quickly spun around while firing a laser shot, knocking Optimus Prime out of the sky and down into the ground where he skidded across it. With Optimus down, Thunderwing returned his attention to the Star Saber, picked it off the ground and marveled at it.

"I finally have it. After millennia spent searching the galaxy, I finally have the Star Saber in my hands," he mused before he looked to Optimus Prime as he was trying to stand. "I guess now's a good time to tie up loose ends."

Optimus Prime struggled to rise from the ground, appearing as if he'd been serious injured. Thunderwing approached with the Star Saber in hand and a sly grin on his face. It wasn't long before Thunderwing stood over Optimus Prime but he didn't immediate go for the killing strike. Instead, he arrogantly stroked and caressed the blade of the mighty weapon as if it were a newborn Transformer. He couldn't stop marveling at the ethereal glow of the blade, as if he was actually listening to it. Optimus Prime seemed unable to react to this, and Thunderwing returned his attention to seemingly beaten Prime. He raised the Star Saber over his head, unaware that the glow had vanished.

"Game over, Prime." Thunderwing declared before bringing the Star Saber straight down… right into Optimus Prime's waiting hands.

Optimus Prime rose to his feet, faced a shocked Thunderwing before pulling the Star Saber clear and punching Thunderwing as hard as he could across the field. Recovering the Star Saber, which began to glow again, Optimus Prime gunned the boosters of his recently acquired flight mode and bolted straight toward Thunderwing. Thunderwing had little to no time to move and was struck by the Star Saber, leaving a massive gash in his armor. Optimus Prime swiped the Star Saber again, cutting out another chunks of armor from Thunderwing. Another swipe came but Thunderwing managed to move clear although he crawled from Optimus Prime.

"That's impossible. It was said that the Star Saber is the most powerful weapon ever created by the Primes. How are you able to wield its when I cannot?"

Optimus Prime twirled the Star Saber in his hand as he stalked Thunderwing. "I have learned that the Star Saber's full power could only be wielded by one of the Thirteen, something which you are not and never were."

It all began to sink in for Thunderwing and he determined the unthinkable. "You… you are one of the Original Thirteen."

"I am, and now Thunderwing, I say to you…" Optimus Prime declared and raised the Star Saber over his hand. "BE GONE!"

Before he could deliver the killing blow, Optimus Prime was knocked to the ground by Megatron's chain-link mace. "You first, Optimus."

Thunderwing rose to his feet, holding his hand to the wound Optimus created, and said to Megatron, "Optimus Prime is an enemy to us both, Megatron. Kill him and you'll have a place at my side… just as Galvatron served at the side of Unicron."

Megatron looked as if he was considering the proposal and looked at Optimus Prime as he stood up. Then he blasted Thunderwing to the ground and declared, "I'm finished serving at the side of others. I will kill Optimus Prime just as I did before, and then, I'll kill you, Thunderwing."

Thunderwing fired a shot that caught Megatron in the shoulder and then shouted, "You had your turn, Megatron. Now I'm taking mine."

Thunderwing turned his attention to Optimus Prime and charged straight at him, but Megatron recovered and kicked Thunderwing away. Megatron turned on Optimus Prime and attacked with his mace. Optimus Prime used the Star Saber to block every blow as it came, with sparks flinging off the weapons as they collided. Optimus Prime managed to gain the upper hand when he used the Star Saber to disable Megatron's mace, but Megatron had a secondary arm blade deployed underneath his cannon. Megatron swiped at Optimus with reckless abandon and managed to cut Optimus in his leg and drop him to a knee.

Thunderwing intervened and tackled Megatron to the ground, and it was those two fighting with blades. Their weapons collided and sets sparks just they had done when Megatron fought Optimus. Optimus Prime looked on as Thunderwing and Megatron battled relentlessly, and it was with a morbid amusement that they seemed to be fighting for the right to kill him. Thunderwing bested Megatron and quickly turned his attention to Optimus Prime and they battled with intense fury. They traded slices and stabs and swipes with their respective weapon but neither of them could gain the upper hand. They'd reached a stalemate and were now face to face.

"The Star Saber was supposed to the crown jewel of my collection, and you took it away from me. You took it away from me, Optimus. You took everything and now, I'm take everything and everyone you hold dear away from you." Thunderwing bellowed right in Prime's face.

Optimus Prime refused to respond and pushed back against Thunderwing before Megatron fired his fusion cannon at both of them. The ensuing explosion through both of them from where they stood, while Megatron transformed and flew up into the sky. He started banking back and opened fire on Thunderwing and Optimus Prime, and the former assumed his dragon form and spewed a fireball in response. Megatron banked to the side and continued shooting, striking the ground and sending dirt and grass skyward. Optimus Prime returned fire and struck Megatron as he came and went, while Thunderwing spewed fire at Optimus Prime.

Optimus Prime rolled to the side and fired on Thunderwing, striking his giant wings and neck. He looked up at Megatron was he flew throughout the sky and, decided there was only one place this fight needed to end, gunned his jetpack. Launching into the sky, Optimus Prime flew straight up and fired a few shots at Thunderwing. The dragon roared in anger before he took off after Optimus Prime, spewing more fire at Optimus as they flew toward the heavens. Megatron gave chase while shooting varying shot at both Thunderwing and Optimus. All three of them broke the sound barrier before vanishing into the sky.

In the ramparts below, the Autobots looked up toward the sky in shock and awe before the ongoing brawl between Computron and Abominus regain their attention. With Elite One, Bumblebee and Arcee now leading the way, the Autobots attacked the remaining Decepticons with renewed vigor and aggression. Maybe, there was still hope after all.

* * *

Marissa wasn't going to last much longer with Ultra Magnus, Jazz and Triage to help her. Josie Beller continued her ongoing rampage, shooting out countless surges all around her. Marissa knew this wasn't just about killing her. Beller had every intention to destroy everything the Transformers had, just as they had destroyed she had. That was Beller's mindset, and it was clearly warped to the point of no return. Marissa had to hold out until she came up with a plan, and her ideas were limited at the moment. She tried to run but a surge struck near her feet and she tumbled to the floor.

Beller stalked toward her and prepared to finish her off but before she was suddenly fired upon by Spike and Carly. The duo fired their guns at Beller and managed to get in a couple of shots, but Beller brought up her force field to deflect the remaining shots. One of the shot ricocheted off the field and struck Carly in the leg, sending her to the floor. Spike immediately dropped to his wife's aid, but Beller wasn't about to give them a chance to recover. But Marissa saw a chance of her own. It was in the confusion after Carly was wounded that her gun flew out of her hands and landed right in front of Marissa.

Marissa grabbed the gun and took a single shot at Beller, and she managed to striking in the back where there was minimal metal covering flesh. Beller dropped to her knees and reached to her back. She then looked the blood in her hand and it was a grim reminded of whatever was left of the woman she used to be. She looked back at Marissa, who stood up and aimed her weapon straight at her. Beller surged electricity from her body, more than usual this time, and the told Marissa she was now extremely angry. Marissa fired off more shots, but they bounced off the force field Beller had erected.

"Carly, Spike, stay back." Marissa shouted moment before Beller destroyed the gun with a surge.

"They're the least of your worries, Fairborne," Beller snarled and stalked Marissa until she was against a wall with nowhere to go. "Trapped like rat, huh? How's it feel to be defenseless, just as Dylan was before he died?"

"Don't know, but how about you tell me how it feels to lose your humanity. Were it not that you tried to kill me and my friends, I'd feel pity for you, Beller." Marissa retorted. "I still do."

"Spare me your pity, Fairborne, because you made your decision. There's no such thing as a good alien or a bad alien. It's just us and them, and you chose them." Beller surged up every once of power she had, and she was going to end Marissa then and there.

"I'd do it all over again." Marissa proclaimed with pure defiance in the face her impending death.

Beller reared back her arms and willed a ball of electrically energy into existence. Knowing full well that Marissa wouldn't survive at such a close proximity, Beller was at least humane enough to make her end quick and painless. It would've more than she deserved. But before she could delivered the killing blow and without any form of warning, a random but concentrated blast of energy streaked across the hall. Beller saw it coming but she had no time to defect it. An explosion followed that seemed to vaporize Beller and the wall behind her.

Marissa, along with Carly and Spike, had shielded themselves from the blast and by the time they looked, Josie Beller was nowhere to be found. All that remained was a massive breach in the wall that gave the humans a clear but smoky view of the hill beyond the city. They looked back toward where the energy came from and couldn't believe their eyes.

Hotrod was standing across the hall from them, still severely wounded and using the wall to steady himself, but still functional. Daniel and Carly came rushing passed Hotrod with Chip wheeling up behind them. Hotrod collapsed against the wall when Cerebros approached him with some medical supplies and soon after, Triage, Jazz and Ultra Magnus joined them. Daniel had given his parents an embrace while Verity examined Carly.

Chip approached Marissa and asked, "You okay, Marissa?"

"I'll live, Chip," Marissa replied and looked to Hotrod as Cerebros was checking. "Good to have you back, Hotrod."

For the first time since San Francisco, Hotrod replied, "Hey… I wouldn't miss seeing Earth going into the Pit for anything."

Marissa smiled at Hotrod with relief before she looked at the giant hole in the wall. Struggling to stand up but aided by Daniel and Spike, she approached the hole. The three looked over the side down to the river below, but there was no immediate sign of Beller anywhere… until Marissa caught movement just beneath her line of sight. There was Beller hanging onto some twisted debris, somehow still alive. But her face was burned to nearly a crisp as was most of her upper body where metal and flesh used to be and her left forearm was severed and hanging from wiring. She had to be in agonizing pain, but it didn't stop Marissa from the doing the unthinkable… and reaching down to Beller.

"Give me your hand, Josie."

Beller had a look of surprise on her burn face and asked, "And then?"

"And then you live." Marissa replied.

For a brief moment, Beller considered taking Marissa's hand. But she asked, "For what?" Then she let go of her perch.

Marissa reached down but was too late, and she, Spike and Daniel watch Josie Beller fall straight down toward the river. A splashdown into the river followed and Josie Beller seemed to disappear beneath the swirling current. Marissa knew there was nothing more that could be done, but she had the feeling that she managed to do something that was most important. She felt that for that one brief second before Josie Beller resigned to her imminent death that there was still a small piece of humanity left in her. It was a shame that Marissa, Chip, Spike and the rest of the Autobot's human allies would never know.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, that took me a little while to get done, but it's done for your reading enjoyment.

Naturally, the primary thing was the beginning of a three-way showdown between Optimus Prime, Megatron and Thunderwing. It's something different, but still something epic and awesome.

Plus, Josie Beller, appeared to have met her demise at the hands of… Hotrod? Yep, Hotrod's back, a little worse for wear, but he's alive. Commence happy dance and reviews… and happy dance.


	28. Day Of Tragedy And Triumph

Disclaimer: This is it, peeps. This is the final battle and it's going to be a big one. I hope you're ready.

On a series note, I want to dedicate this chapter to both Prince, who recently passed away at age 57, and Joanie "Chyna" Laurer, aged 46.

* * *

Chapter XXVIII

Tigatron was in his tiger form dodging random blasts from Shockwave's cannon, and those shots were getting closer to hitting their target. Shockwave was so focused on hitting Tigatron though that he seemingly forgotten about Dark Steel's griffin form barreling toward him. Except, he never forgot about her at all and he halted his attack on Tigatron to focus on her. Dark Steel lunged at Shockwave but was caught by the neck and punched clear across the corridor. Tigatron tried his luck and lunged only to be thrown over Shockwave's head and into Dark Steel.

The brief distraction allowed Breakaway to close in on Shockwave and unload on him with hard punches to the single optic. Shockwave responded with a head butt followed by a hard backhand, sending Breakaway back into the wall. Shockwave raised his cannon, preparing to fire before Dark Steel charged forward and jumped on his back. They wrestled for stability before Shockwave grabbed Dark Steel and threw her over his head to the floor before he prepared to stomp on her. But he was suddenly accosted by a random laser shot.

Tigatron, in his robot form, fired a series of shots to Shockwave's armor hide and distracted him long enough for Dark Steel move out of the way. She transformed and fired on Shockwave just as Breakaway also joined in the assault. Shockwave shielded himself from the consistent barraged of laser fire before returning fire, first on Dark Steel. He fired a shot toward the floor and sent Dark Steel flying back, then did the same to Tigatron before turning his attention to Breakaway. Shockwave fired without waiting, and Breakaway disappeared within a cloud of smoke and fire.

There was a brief pause in the fight. Dark Steel and Tigatron were both in disbelief that Shockwave seemed to kill Breakaway right in front of him. Shockwave approached the smoldering area where Breakaway was downed, finding no sign of wreckage and assuming that Breakaway was merely vaporized from the blast. Shockwave gave the notion no further thought and turned his attention back to Tigatron and Dark Steel. Aiming his cannon, Shockwave was ready to open fire on the pair.

Unbeknownst to Shockwave, Breakaway suddenly reappeared behind him from the wall itself. Breakaway quickly grabbed hold of the cannon just as Shockwave fired a shot, which hit the ceiling above them. The debris that dropped from the ceiling hit them both although Shockwave took the worst of it while Breakaway was somehow unharmed. Then Dark Steel and Tigatron noticed the Phase Shifter on Breakaway's wrist and concluded that he'd used it to trick Shockwave. Breakaway quickly rejoined Dark Steel and Tigatron, who was tending to the critically wouldn't Sentinel.

"You never told us me you still had the Phase Shifter." Dark Steel said.

"You never asked." Breakaway replied.

"Hey, love bots… can I get a little help here with Sentinel?" Tigatron snapped as he was trying to get Sentinel up. Dark Steel and Breakaway rushed over when they heard a noise.

Shockwave was digging himself out of the rubble that had fallen on top of him. "None of you are leaving this ship." he declared and prepared his cannon.

The Harbinger suddenly listed to the side and sent the occupants tumbling over each other. Tigatron and Breakaway managed to maintain their grip on Sentinel while Dark Steel fired a shot directly at Shockwave's face. The shot didn't kill Shockwave but it shattered his single optic and blinded him. The trio saw their chance to escape and bolted out back the way the came. Shockwave staggered and ran into the walls before dropping to the floor and trying to search for them. His vision was impaired, images from his point of view appearing like shattered glass. His fired a shot from his cannon but without line of sight, his aim was off.

Elsewhere on the ship, Breakaway, Tigatron and Dark Steel carried Sentinel to the hanger bay and Tigatron quickly opened the door. They all heard shots and surmised that Shockwave was coming for them. Without waiting, Breakaway took Sentinel while Dark Steel took Tigatron and Breakaway jumped out of the bay doors. Dark Steel and Tigatron were about to follow when Shockwave appeared at the entrance to the hanger.

"Dark Steel, you will surrender yourself to me now. You are my creation." Shockwave fired a shot but as before, his aim was completely off center due to his blindness.

"You might have created me, but you don't control me, Shockwave." Dark Steel declared.

"Then I suppose it is logical to assume that you are nothing more than my greatest failure." Shockwave declared and fired another misaimed shot.

But Dark Steel and Tigatron fired and scored a shot to Shockwave's legs to bring him down. Then they leapt through the bay doors and dropped out of sight. In midair, they dove toward the Earth following Breakaway and Sentinel. They caught sight of the Autobots and Decepticons still fighting, with Computron and Abominus taking up the scenery. Then they started banking inward toward the interior of Autobot City, taking a few shots at some the Decepticons as they were in free fall.

In the city, it didn't take too long for Elita One to spot the freefalling group approaching. But she had to restrain Crosshairs and Sideswipe from opening fire on them. Clearly a spot for them, they let the group drop into the courtyard and Elita One, Bumblebee and Arcee quickly attended to them. Elita One was shocked to see that Breakaway had Sentinel in his arms and easing him to the ground. Her surprise was quickly ended by a heavy ruckus outside the city walls.

The remaining Autobots continued their assault against the Decepticons while Computron and Abominus continued their brawl nearby. Abominus had the advantage against Computron, who was steadily weakening, as it was initially feared by Brainstorm. Computron continued fighting for all he was worth and he managed to land a few hits against Abominus, but his systems were shutting down one by one. Abominus seemed have nearly limitless energy and he landed vile, heavy blows against Computron. Brainstorm had been watching the whole fight, marveling that Computron lasted so long but fearful of whether or not he'd survive.

Computron then took a hard hit and dropped to a knee, declaring in pain, "WARNING: PRIMARY SYSTEMS FAILING. SHUTDOWN IMMINENT."

Abominus hammered Computron to the ground and roared, "COMPUTRON DEFEATED. ABOMINUS DESTROY PUNY AUTOBOTS." Then Abominus stepped over Computron and stalked toward the city.

Computron started to stir and from his point of view, he noticed a series of readout that suggested that his final shutdown procedures were underway. Abominus was about to rip through the wall, meaning that Computron had to act now. With his last ounce of strength, Computron grabbed Abominus from behind and wrestled him away from the wall. Abominus tried to break free of the grip Computron had on him, going as far as to ram the back of his head into his foe's face. Computron held fast as he dragged Abominus away. Then to the surprise of the Autobots and the Decepticons, Computron deployed thruster beneath his feet and launched into the sky.

The two giants rose into the sky, with Abominus still trying to fight Computron off of him. It meant nothing when Computron declared, "SELFDESTRUCT COMMENCING."

Abominus screamed in rage before he and Computron were consumed in a flash of a light and fire and smoke. From the city, the Autobots watched the two giants disappear in a massive explosion that was followed by a sonic boom and a tremor. Brainstorm had seen the whole thing happen and dropped to his knees in sadness and disbelief. The Technobots were gone just like that, and he never had a chance to know them. Now, he would never have that chance.

Elita One looked up at the explosion also in shock, but her attention shifted to the fallen Sentinel Prime. Dark Steel and a white and green Transformer Elita One never met before stood over him, while Breakaway did his best to support Sentinel's head. Elita One knelt beside Sentinel, studied the excessive damage that had been done to him but resigned herself to the truth. Nothing could be done for him except to make his last few moments comfortable. Elita One looked to the sky and hoped that Optimus Prime was still alive and still fighting. With luck, Optimus Prime wasn't just fighting… he was winning.

* * *

Optimus Prime flew higher into Earth's atmosphere with both Megatron and Thunderwing in pursuit. Megatron fired a volley of shots that mostly missed the target while Thunderwing spewed fire at both of them. The three eventually made all the way up into space where Optimus Prime halted his climb. He saw Megatron coming his way and still firing shots at him, so he deployed his own rifle to return fire. The shots struck Megatron in the front end of his spacecraft form and rocked him briefly, allowing Optimus Prime bank to the side and let Megatron pass. His attention then went to Thunderwing.

The robotic dragon tried to spew more fire at Optimus Prime, but the flame fizzled before it reached the Autobot leader. With no oxygen to feed it, the fire was of no use to Thunderwing. That didn't stop the dragon from flying straight at Optimus Prime, who against moved to the side to avoid a collision. Thunderwing briefly lost control of his approach and nearly flew into Megatron when he also managed to avoid getting hit. Megatron was in robot form now and he fired his fusion cannon straight at Optimus Prime. With the Star Saber still in his grip, Optimus Prime swung it straight down just as fusion blast came. Impossibly, the blast was literally cut in half. Thunderwing assumed his robot form and the three reached a stalemate.

"The Star Saber has given you great power, Optimus Prime. But it's an insult that you should wield it and not I." Thunderwing snapped.

"You were once a Prime of Cybertron, Thunderwing, and you disgraced that linage by allowing Unicron to twist you into his puppet." Optimus Prime retorted.

"To each, his own. But when I kill you, and burn every inch of this world you've sworn to protect into ashes." Thunderwing said before he took a hard blast to his chest.

"Optimus Prime will die, Thunderwing, but it won't be you taking victory away from me." Megatron shouted and fired another fusion.

Thunderwing roared and rushed forward directly at Megatron. They collided and wrestled in zero gravity, each of them trying to gain the upper hand early. Megatron landed several heavy blows to the wound Thunderwing had gained before, but Thunderwing was hardly slowed if at all. Thunderwing landed his own heavy blows, including a straight punch to Megatron's face and chassis. Megatron returned the exchange, landing a knee to Thunderwing's chassis and then throwing him over his shoulder. Gravity took over on Thunderwing as he floated for a brief second before Megatron tackled him. They wrestled again before Thunderwing landed a hard punch and then an even hard kick.

With Megatron momentarily subdued, Thunderwing turned his attention to Optimus Prime and deployed his blade. Twisting the Star Saber in hand, Optimus Prime gunned the engine of his flight mode and bolted straight at Thunderwing. They closed the distance quickly and their weapons collided. They struggled for a few moments before breaking off and Thunderwing went on the attack with a barrage of hard swipes and slashes. Optimus Prime used the Star Saber to block nearly every one of the attacks while he moved to avoid the rest that came.

Optimus Prime found an opening and responded with his own array of slashes that Thunderwing managed to block before he pushed Optimus back. They engaged in a flurry of slashes and swipes and thrusts the never came close to landing before eventually reaching another stalemate. Face to face, they struggled against each other before Megatron fired a volley of shots. Thunderwing moved clear, while Optimus took a shot to the chassis. Megatron collided with his long time rival and they tumbled over each other.

Gravity was not on either side, and Megatron saw a moment to kick the Star Saber out of Optimus Prime's hands. Megatron landed a hard punch in the hope of shattering Prime's facemask like he'd done long ago. The mask held fast, and Optimus landed a haymaker that stunned Megatron and forced him back. Another heavy blow forced Megatron further and further back before he tried for a fusion blast. Optimus moved clear and tackled Megatron, sending them both tumbling through space.

It was Thunderwing this time who interfered and tackled both of them, and Optimus Prime was flung away in the struggle. Thunderwing had Megatron and pounded on him with Megatron returning the exchange. He deployed his mace and swung it at Thunderwing. Gravity didn't take over this time. The mace struck Thunderwing in the face and sent him into a spiral. Megatron was about to press his attack when a volley of shots rained on him.

Optimus Prime was flying straight at Megatron with his rifle in one hand and the Star Saber in the other. The shots hit Megatron and sent his spinning before he transformed and flew ahead of Optimus Prime. The rivals raced along the planet's outer atmosphere, with Optimus Prime still attempting to strike with innumerous laser shots. He managed to catch Megatron's along the wings of his alternate form and stutter him until the pair made their way to the Moon. Megatron transformed and braced himself for collision to come, and Optimus Prime brought it full force.

They wrestled again and crashed on the Moon, skidding along the barren landscape of Earth's lone satellite. Megatron deployed his mace again and swung it hard. Optimus Prime blocked the blows with the Star Saber as Megatron wildly swung his mace with relentless fervor. Megatron swung the mace over his head and then swung all the way toward Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime sidestepped the mace and used the Star Saber to cut the chase, sending the severed mace rolling across the surface of the Moon. Megatron rushed forward and deployed a sword of his own, and he and Optimus Prime collided the blades together.

Thunderwing swooped down on them with his blades deployed and attacked both Megatron and Optimus. A brutal and intense free-for-all ensued between all three of them. Megatron swiped at Thunderwing and Optimus Prime without landing a blow. Optimus Prime tried to land his own series of heavy slashes and swipes and Thunderwing tried to land his series of attack. Every swipe, slash and thrust was countered and parried and not one of the three could land a decisive strike. Another stalemate was reached before Optimus Prime swung the Star Saber wide.

A wave of energy raced across the surface of the Moon and sent both Megatron and Thunderwing ducking out of the way. Thunderwing recovered and assumed his dragon form before stampeding straight toward Optimus Prime. He collided with Optimus Prime and forced him to hold on while he took off into space. They fought for control as they traveled across the ocean of stars, and Thunderwing bit down on Optimus Prime's leg. Optimus screamed in pain and tried to get free of the rabid attack when Megatron intervened and slammed into the dragon.

Megatron and Thunderwing struggled against each other, and Megatron was able to gain control. He mounted Thunderwing from behind, wrapped his right arm around the beast's long neck and tried to maneuver Thunderwing around. Thunderwing performed a series of barrel rolls to rid himself of his unwanted passenger before transforming and punching Megatron in the face. Megatron went flying but managed to fire a blast that caught Thunderwing in the shoulder, but Thunderwing continued to approach. He slammed into Megatron with same shoulder that was hit and forced Megatron back.

Thunderwing rounded about and took a heavy punch to the face from Optimus Prime, followed by a flurry of heavier punches. Optimus Prime drew the Star Saber and went for a swipe, but Thunderwing blocked the strike with his own blade. They engaged in a furious trading of swipes and once again, neither was able to gain the upper hand. This changed when Optimus Prime kicked Thunderwing away, but he in turn was tackled by Megatron. Megatron and Optimus Prime struggled before breaking off, and Megatron fired another fusion blast. Optimus Prime batted the blast away with the Star Saber and rushed Megatron, this time tackling the Decepticon leader.

They struggled in the weightlessness of space and Megatron snarled, "You never did know when to just lay down and die."

"The same could be said for you, Megatron." Optimus Prime replied back.

"You fight for a lost cause, Optimus…. you always have. The trouble with loyalty to a cause is that sooner or later, the cause will always betray you." Megatron claimed and started to gain headway against Optimus.

"You may see the protection of Earth as a lost cause, but your cause of conquest is no different save for one aspect." Optimus Prime retorted.

"Which is?"

Optimus Prime started to push back against Megatron, and he was winning the exchange. "The protection of the planet Earth as a cause worth fighting for… worth DYING FOR!"

Optimus Prime than surprised Megatron with a head butt that stunned Megatron. With Megatron stunned, Optimus Prime began to pound and pummel him with unrelenting fury. He landed heavy blow after blow, punch after punch and kick after kick. Then clasping his hands together, Optimus Prime connected with heavy and brutal a blow as he could possibly manage. The blow was more than enough to send Megatron spiraling away from Optimus Prime as he deployed the Star Saber. He charged the mighty weapon and was prepared to deliver the killing blow.

Without warning, the dragon form of Thunderwing slammed into Optimus Prime and carried him all the way out of Earth's atmosphere. Optimus Prime managed to mount the dragon and ride him across the Solar System. They were moving along at a speed that was otherwise impossible to travel even in a human-built Space Shuttle. But they managed it as they traveled toward the Sun. Thunderwing managed to spin and cause Optimus Prime to release his grip, and Optimus Prime gunned his flight pack and continued his approach toward the Sun.

Optimus Prime approached Venus first and flew briefly into its sulfuric atmosphere in the possible hope that Thunderwing wouldn't have been able to follow. But Thunderwing and more over, he was able to utilize streams of fire to burn Optimus Prime. Climbing back into space, Optimus Prime continued his flight toward the Sun with Thunderwing still in pursuit. Optimus Prime looked back. He could see Thunderwing's dragon visage still chasing him and it appeared that he was gaining on him. Optimus Prime looked forward toward first the planet Mercury and then the Sun and continued on.

Once he was within range of the Sun's gravity, Optimus Prime halted his approach and turned back around. Thunderwing approached and assumed his robot form, deploying his blades. They engaged in close quarters, each one trading a slashes and slices and neither gain the advantage. The also had to wrestle with the Sun's gravity, and each of them came dangerous close to being caught in the pool. After an even exchange between them, Optimus Prime and Thunderwing broke off their assault and back away. They were both extremely close to Sun, each on feeling the pulled of the star's gravity around.

"I'll give you credit, Optimus; you're better than I ever thought possible with the Star Saber. Taking it from you will be that much more satisfying." Thunderwing claimed.

"You have taken too much already, Thunderwing. I am bringing this conflict to its conclusion… one way or another." Optimus Prime replied and twisted the Star Saber in his grip.

"This is your last chance, Optimus Prime; surrender the Star Saber to me… NOW." Thunderwing demanded.

Optimus Prime glanced at the Star Saber, the glow of the blade bathing him against the light of the Sun. "If you want it, then come and take it."

Thunderwing snarled at the challenge and finally decided that the game was over, and he bolted straight at Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime maintained his position while holding the Star Saber to his left side and gunning the engine of his flight mode. Then he bolted straight forward toward Thunderwing. They closed on each other hard and fast and neither of them tried to back out. It was right at the very last moment that they threw the one defining blow that would finally end the conflict and then passed by each other. Optimus and Thunderwing were now in the spot opposite of their previous.

They turned to face each other; Optimus Prime was ready for another round. But Thunderwing felt it. He felt the pain that was no rushing through his system and he looked down at his chassis and saw the very large and very telling blow that Optimus Prime landed. It was massive gash that seemed to expose his inside. Before Thunderwing could react, Optimus was already on him quickly. Optimus Prime thrust the Star Saber forward and impaled Thunderwing through his chassis, leaving Thunderwing in complete disbelief as Optimus Prime positioned him with his back toward Sun.

"You wanted the Star Saber, Thunderwing? It has been given." Optimus Prime snapped as he pulled the Star Saber clear of Thunderwing.

Optimus Prime deployed his rifle, held the barrel at point blank range on Thunderwing's chassis and pulled the trigger. The effect was instant. A flash of light and fire ripped right through Thunderwing, all the while pushing him back toward the Sun. Optimus Prime fired several more close range blasts for good, absolute measure until Thunderwing started to move back without assistance, and the Sun gravity did the rest. Optimus caught a brief glimpse of Thunderwing's optics as the flickered and then finally dimmed to nothing. Then he watched as the husk of new dead metal fell toward the Sun, igniting into flames as it went. Soon enough, Thunderwing's body completely vaporized into no more than stardust.

Optimus Prime let himself gather, thankful that the conflict had been ended, but he felt a presence that Megatron had arrived. He turned to confirm what he already knew. Megatron was clearly battered as much as Optimus Prime was battered, but no less a threat and Optimus was ready to fight if the need arisen. But Megatron simply shook his head.

"Amusing, isn't it? I had a golden opportunity to kill you here and now, even though you have the Star Saber in hand."

"That option remains very much in play." Optimus Prime declared and readied himself for whatever Megatron had in store for him.

"It is, but I've decided for the time being to leave you and your Autobots be. Make no mistake; I will kill you again, Optimus Prime… and it will be on my terms. Either way, believe me when I say this; the Decepticons have returned." Megatron declared.

"This, I know all too well, Megatron. Trust in my words; when you bare you forces down upon Earth, the Autobots will be waiting."

"I know you will, Optimus Prime."

With his intensions clear and present in the thoughts of Optimus Prime, Megatron assumed his spacecraft form and jetted away into the darkness of space. Left alone with Sun blazing behind him, Optimus Prime looked back at the life-giving star. He was making absolutely certain that Thunderwing was gone, dead and burned up into the heat. There was nothing to indicate otherwise. With the conflict finished and his reasons for remaining in space no longer present, Optimus Prime gunned the jet engine of his flight mode and started on his way back to Earth.

* * *

Author's Note: The fight is now over, and Thunderwing is no more. Do I know how to produce an epic final battle or what? Hit me up with you thoughts so I can finish this story. Peace out!

 **IN MEMORY OF**  
 **JOANIE "CHYNA" LAURER**  
 **1969-2016**

 **PRINCE**  
 **1958-2016**


	29. Day Of New Beginnings - Epilogue

Disclaimer: This is the final chapter of the story and boy howdy, it's been a hell of a ride. I want send a BIG thanks to all the reviews and support you've given me. You ROCK HARD!

* * *

Chapter XXIX

The Autobots and Decepticons were unaware of what had happened in space, instead continuing the battle and nearing exhaustion at the same time. Then they heard a sonic boom and stopped their fighting for only a brief moment, looking toward the sky. Megatron was seen high above on approach to the _Harbinger_ and landed on its hull. The Decepticons on the ground, namely the Constructicons and the Combaticons, all halted their assault to look up at their leader. The Autobots on the ramparts looked up as well with concern when they noticed no sign of Optimus Prime.

That changed when a second sonic boom sounded off. Optimus Prime was seen in the distance heading straight toward the city. He flew overhead and stationed himself above the city, Star Saber in hand and ready to fight if the need arose. Looking up at the _Harbinger,_ Optimus Prime was more than aware that Megatron was looking down on him as he was looking up. Their eternal enmity was matched only by the begrudging respect that existed between them. Then Megatron disappeared into the ship. The Decepticons on the ground didn't immediately continue the fight with the Autobots, and it was either because they're given orders or because of Optimus Prime's presence.

* * *

Megatron returned to the bridge of the _Harbinger_ where Skullcrusher, Wingspan and Pounce were waiting for their next orders. Dreadwing returned as did a wounded but still functional Shockwave as Megatron approach the helm and looked out through the main viewport. Autobot City was hit hard but still standing, and Megatron could clearly see Optimus Prime hovering over it. As much as he wanted to unleash the full power of the Harbinger now that he was in command of it, Megatron opted against the idea. Instead, he looked to Dreadwing as he approached the helm and sat at the chair.

"What are your orders, Lord Megatron?" Dreadwing asked.

Megatron was already reconsidering his options but his initial decision remained unchanged. "We're leaving. Transmit a message to our forces; have them reconvene at the forthcoming coordinates."

"Ay, Captain." Dreadwing replied and did as he was told.

"But… they're weak. They're vulnerable. We can…" Skullcrusher said before Megatron slammed his head down onto the console.

"Do I look a bot who repeats himself?" Megatron snarled and released Skullcrusher without waiting for a reply.

Megatron returned to his chair with Shockwave standing beside him. "You are not going to renew the battle?" Shockwave asked.

"The Autobots have seen enough battle, Shockwave, and I've already given Optimus Prime my word that we will leave them alone. Let them mend the wounds and mourn their losses because either way, they now know that the Decepticons had indeed returned," Megatron stated with a demented smirk. "Dreadwing, take us out of here."

* * *

The Decepticons on the ground received a coded message from the _Harbinger_ and, after looking up at Optimus Prime's hovering above Autobot City, they assumed their vehicular forms and departed. On the ramparts, the Autobots still had their weapons trained on the Decepticons with the expectations of continued attack ever present. Optimus Prime watched as the Decepticons departed one after the other, driving or flying off into the distance with bothering to commence another assault. Megatron appeared to have kept his word. Optimus Prime looked up at the Harbinger as it was starting to leave the sky and eventually disappeared behind the clouds.

Optimus Prime descended down into the courtyard were the Autobots gathered, some aiding the wounded and other standing over a single, fallen husk. Elita One was the first to greet Optimus Prime, running up to him and throwing herself into his arms. He embraced her tightly before his vision was diverted to the husk ahead of him, and he was shocked to note that it was Sentinel Prime lying on the ground. Dark Steel, Breakaway and Tigatron handled the dying Prime with care as Optimus approached. Optimus knelt down beside Sentinel, who was still functional enough to acknowledge him… and chuckle weakly.

"We meet again, Optimus Prime." Sentinel weakly said.

"We all believed you to be lost to the stars, Sentinel. I must say it is… good to see you again." Optimus replied.

Sentinel smiled and said, "I suppose it is, but we both know that… I'm not long for this life. My time has come to pass over to the next world. Funny really; I never believed in such things until now."

"We have medical facilities, Sentinel. We can save you." Optimus stated.

"You already have, Optimus. I'm at peace with that," Sentinel held out his hand, and Optimus took it in his own as a last sign of respect. Sentinel said, "Thank you, Optimus Prime."

With his last words spoken, Sentinel's optics dimmed and his body faded to the ashen gray that signified a Transformer's passing. A solemn silence fell over the courtyard as the Autobots bowed their heads. Optimus Prime placed Sentinel's hands over his chassis, a sign a respect paid that he long observed the humans do. He then stood up and delivered a salute, with the Autobots following suit. The only sounds were of faint footsteps approaching from deeper in the city. The Autobots looked toward the source and blinked their optics in disbelief when they saw Hotrod approaching with Ultra Magnus, Triage and Jazz, along with the Autobot's human allies.

Arcee was the first to react and ran to Hotrod where she carefully embraced him, to which Hotrod somewhat sheepishly responded with his own embrace. Optimus Prime then approached Hotrod and gently placed his hand on the young bot's shoulder. Hotrod almost fell over, though it was more out of sheer exhaustion than pain. Then Optimus Prime drew Hotrod with an embrace.

Meanwhile outside of the city wall, the Wreckers mourned the losses of Stratosphere and Depth Charge. Drift led a salute for their fallen comrades. Sideswipe knelt down beside the dead husk of his brother Sunstreaker and bowed his head in silence. Brainstorm mourned the deaths of the Technobots, picking a piece of metal from the ground and holding it close to his chassis. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Crosshairs standing over him. There were no jokes or wisecracks from Crosshairs. There was only the silent mourning for comrades lost.

* * *

The Autobots were gathered outside the city walls, standing in front of several pyres that had been established for their fallen comrades. Four pyres were set up for Sentinel Prime, Sunstreaker, Depth Charge and Stratosphere. Their grayed husks were levitated over pillars of light akin to fireflies. A fifth, smaller pyre was set beside them with a holographic image of William Lennox, erected in his memory. Optimus Prime stepped forward toward the pyres with the Star Saber in hand as he turned to the Autobots in attendance. He held the blade of the Star Saber to the ground with the palm of both his hands on the hilt. As expected, the Autobots stood silent as Optimus Prime delivered a eulogy.

"We have lived here on Earth for over thirty of this world's years, and in that time, we have come to call it home. In this time, we Autobots have not only befriended humanity, but we have built a family of a courageous few. As with any family, we have experienced great loss time and again. On this day, we honor those who sacrificed everything so that we may continue to protect our home and I give this most solemn vow that their sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Then Optimus Prime looked to Crosshairs as he was standing by a control panel and gave him a subtle nod. Crosshairs returned the nod before he operated the panel. The pyres hummed a faint hum as the tiny lights swirled around the bodies of the deceased Autobots, each one touching against the metallic surface of the bodies. The Autobots looked on as the bodies of their fallen comrades slowly but surely dissipated into tiny lights. There were too many to count and too few to compare to the stars across the galaxy. But the Autobots were counting the stars. They were paying their final respects to their brethren.

Nearby, Spike held Carly's hand in his own as did Daniel held the hand of Verity. Chip, with his leg braces repaired enough to walk, put an arm around Marissa's shoulders to comfort her. Marissa felt tears dripping down her bruised face as she was inwardly saying goodbye to William. She checked her hands and in them was the engagement ring that William intended to give to her before he died. With sorrow but a small measure of closure, Marissa knelt down by the pyre that was William's memorial and placed the ring in a small compartment before locking it away forever.

Optimus Prime had watched the entire scene and felt no small measure of sorrow for Marissa, but he could also see that she'd found some closure. As he looked back to the pyre on which Sentinel Prime vanished in the many tiny lights, he saw Alpha Trion standing just behind the pyre. Alpha Trion said nothing to Optimus Prime, but he gave an approving nod to him before disappearing again for the final time. Optimus Prime, now knowing his true nature for the first time as one of the Original Primes, produced a miniscule smile. Everything was changing in ways he'd never expected, and hopefully, it meant it was all for the better.

* * *

Brainstorm sat alone in his laboratory with his head rested on his palm and with the only remaining piece of the Technobots resting on the table. The piece of shredded metal just sat there, useless and broken, and all Brainstorm did with it was lightly tap it. Highbrow entered the lab quietly before still audible enough for Brainstorm to hear him without turning to see him. Highbrow said nothing at first as he stood at Brainstorm's side. He also looked at the piece of metal on the table and tried to count the number of times that Brainstorm tapped on it.

"You weren't at the service today." Highbrow said.

"I'm not overly fond of saying goodbye to friends, Highbrow," Brainstorm claimed and tapped the piece a few more times. "I know we barely knew them, but the Technobots felt just as much a part of the Autobots as you and I."

Highbrow nodded and leaned on the table on one hand, not that Brainstorm had an issue with it. "I agree with you, Brainstorm, but wallowing here does nothing to honor their sacrifice."

"You think we could've done more for them?" Brainstorm said, letting Highbrow take the metal piece from the table.

"I think that's something to really think about. Don't worry, Brainstorm… things will get better in the long run." Highbrow said and then left the lab.

Brainstorm looked up now to see Highbrow leave, and it was only then that he noticed something out of the corner of his optic. It was small, blackish-blue with a tiny Autobot insignia on it. His scientific curiosity was piqued when it was clear that Highbrow left him some sort of drive. Brainstorm picked it up and studied the tiny item with interest that seemed to grow with each passing moment and he plugged the drive into a port just below the edge of the table.

He started typing rapidly on the holographic console that appeared and the screen popped into a diagram full of detailed schematics. Brainstorm couldn't discern the schematics at first but as the images came through and more of them were shown, his optics started glowing a bright blue. He couldn't come close to believing what he was seeing or how and when Highbrow procured them, but it was clear what was on the screen. The schematics were a means of rebuilding the Technobots. He didn't notice that Highbrow returned to the lab until he turned around.

"How did you…" Brainstorm asked.

"Scattershot gave me a drive containing those schematics as well as individual they're personalities. It also includes a way to keep them from self destructing should they ever combine into Computron. You asked before if we could've done more for them. I think we should find out." Highbrow said.

Brainstorm got up from his chair and clasped his hand into Highbrow. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Marissa had made her very personal decision some time ago after William's death, but it still didn't stop Verity from asking her. She was one of Marissa's closest friends and she wanted what was best for her, but the decision to retire from active duty still hit pretty close to the heart. Spike understood and didn't try to talk Marissa out of retiring. Neither did Chip or Carly. Daniel tried but wasn't able to convince her otherwise. Carly was stubborn and she showed it when she caught up with Marissa.

Marissa had to laugh when Verity stopped her for the umpteenth time. "You don't give up, do you, Verity?"

"Not in my nature, Marissa. Are you seriously sure that you want to do this? Just retire from the field?" Verity asked.

Marissa gave Verity a meaningful smirk and replied, "Very sure. I think it's high time that I step aside from the battlefield. Maybe I'll take up a cozy desk job in Washington."

"Well, that sounds pretty boring." Verity quipped.

"I don't doubt it, but I keep thinking back what led to Josie Beller's change and whomever was behind it. Someone has to get answers before whomever changed Beller comes after the Autobots."

"You think you'll be able to figure this out?" Verity asked.

"Yes, I do. Besides Crosshairs, there's nothing that can't be explained." Marissa stated.

Verity wasn't about to let Marissa go that easily and rushed to embrace her. Marissa accepted the gesture with her one healthy arm since her other in a sling. Verity was careful not to hurt Marissa anymore than she had been, but Marissa was able to endure. She whispered something in Verity's ear before releasing her. Verity nodded to whatever Marissa whispered to her before Marissa took her leave. A few tears welled in Verity's eyes but she wanted to be seen strong, so she hastily wiped the tears away. It wasn't long before Daniel appeared next to Verity.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Verity replied and turned to Daniel. "She asked me to take care of you and the family."

"Oh, well that's nice of her. But I'm all grown up now, so I can look after myself." Daniel insisted as Verity threw her arms over his shoulders.

"I know that," Verity said and gave Daniel a light kiss. "But don't try to stop me from trying."

Daniel smiled and said, "I never could stop you from trying anything." Then he returned the kiss.

Verity broke the kiss with a smile and said, "I wouldn't have any other way."

* * *

Tigatron studied the small-sized Autobot ship in the hanger bay with a keen outlook and knew it would be suitable for his cause. Optimus Prime approached Tigatron and studied the ship as well. The Wreckers were busy making the final adjustments as Dark Steel and Breakaway also approached the ship. Tigatron had to marvel at the ship as he watched the Wreckers work.

"It is called the _Axiom_." Optimus Prime said.

"It's impressive, and it'll do just fine for my journey out into the stars." Tigatron said.

Optimus Prime nodded before he asked, "Are you certain that we cannot convince you to remain here on Earth, Tigatron?"

"I'd like nothing more than to make my home here on this planet, Optimus. I actually might do that, but I have a more important priority." Tigatron explained.

"You speak of your brother, Cheetor. I've studying manifestos of several vessels that departed Cybertron during the war. The most promising is one called the _Alchemor_."

"The _Alchemor_. Thank you, Optimus. Hopefully, I'll find my brother amongst its crew." Tigatron said.

"You are welcome, Tigatron, and know that you are always here on Earth." Optimus Prime.

"You're not going alone, Tigatron," Dark Steel said suddenly. "I'm coming with you."

"I can't ask you to do that, Dark Steel."

"I know, but we've been through so much already that I can't possibly justify letting you go out into the stars without a friend. So I'm going whether you like or not."

"You not really serious, are you, Dark Steel? This is Earth; this is your home." Breakaway pleaded with Dark Steel.

"This was Tempest's home, Breakaway. I'm not her anymore. I have to let that go." Dark Steel said as she followed Tigatron onto the Axiom.

Breakaway watched Dark Steel enter the _Axiom_ along with the Wreckers, who were commissioned to join them, "I feel like I'm losing Tempest all over again."

"I believe there is still a small part of Tempest within Dark Steel. It will take time, but she may yet recall her past life." Optimus Prime said assuredly.

"Yeah." Breakaway said solemnly.

Optimus Prime was quick to notice the genuine hurt in Breakaway's optics and surprisingly said, "Breakaway, perhaps it is best then that you accompany Dark Steel and Tigatron on their journey."

"What?!" Breakaway asked in surprise.

"Regardless of whatever identity Dark Steel may or may not, you obviously care deeply for her. It is only fair that you accompany her in the event that she remembers, which I strongly can and will happen." Optimus Prime stated to a beaming Breakaway.

"I… don't know what to say."

"Just know that we will be here waiting for your eventual return home, Breakaway. And… take care of them and of yourself." Optimus Prime said.

"Thank you, Optimus Prime." Breakaway responded with a crisp salute to Optimus Prime before he headed for the _Axiom_.

Meanwhile in the _Axiom's_ cockpit, the crew was making final preparations for takeoff. Tigatron, being a well-versed pilot during his time on the Harbinger, sat at the helm with Dark Steel beside him. The Wreckers all sat at separate control areas along the sides and corners of the cockpit as the ship's engines whirred to life. It was to Dark Steel's surprise when Breakaway appeared and took the seat next to her opposite of Tigatron.

"What're you doing here, Breakaway?" Dark Steel asked.

"What's it look like?" he asked.

"You know I can't stay on Earth, so stop trying to convince otherwise." she snapped.

"I'm not; I'm going with you. Besides, Tigatron over there'll need all the help he can get if he wants to find Cheetor." Breakaway claimed and drew the attention of Tigatron.

"Are you for real, Breakaway?" Tigatron asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, so let's go find your brother." Breakaway smirked back.

Tigatron smiled before focusing on the helm. Dark Steel merely smirked in slight annoyance followed by a sense enjoyment. Inwardly, she was very happy to have Breakaway by her side. It was just it was when Tempest was alive. It was also interesting that Dark Steel had that notion playing in her psyche. Maybe Breakaway was right all along; there was still a little bit of Tempest in Dark Steel. Neither she nor Breakaway would ask for anything more.

Outside of the _Axiom_ , Optimus Prime and the Autobots and the humans silently bid a fond farewell to their allies as the _Axiom's_ engines came to life. It then rose slowly from the landing zone and lifted slowly and steadily out into the sky. It turned to face its front toward the sky and then gunned the engine before rocketing into the sky and vanishing from the sight of the Autobots, and Optimus Prime mused inwardly that in time, the _Axiom_ and it crew would return. But he also knew with grim understanding that sooner or later, the Decepticons would return as well…

…and the Autobots would be waiting.

* * *

 _Epilogue_

 _It is never easy to bid farewell to members of a family, but it is how we respond to it and how greet them upon the return that makes all the difference. This is a notion I have learned more than once in my lifetime, in addition to learning my own true nature and origins. Those are memories that I will carry for as long as I exist to defend the world I call home._

 _I am Optimus Prime, and this messages to those wayward Autobots that wander the stars; you have a home here on Earth… and a family waiting for you._

* * *

Author's Note: I did it! I managed to weather the storm and finish it. Aside from a few hiccups here and there, I'm pretty with how it came out. But would do you think?

Here are a couple of small facts here for those who might get a bit confused. First, I purposefully left out what exactly happened with Josie Beller's body. Secondly, while I did kill off the Technobots, but that scene with Highbrow and Brainstorm may suggest a return in the future.

Also, I wanted to write off Breakaway, Marissa and the surviving Wreckers in a way without killing them, so I had Marissa retire and had Breakaway and the Wreckers join Tigatron and Dark Steel in leaving Earth.

Drop me a few of them reviews and I'll present the CAST chapter soon. Peace out!


	30. VOICE CAST - POST CREDITS

Disclaimer: Ladies and germs, I bring you the CAST chapter for Transformers: The Gathering Storm in all its weirdness… and sometimes glory… but mostly weirdness.

* * *

VOICE CAST

 _(Transformers)_

PETER CULLEN

Optimus Prime

 _(More than meets the eye)_

SAM WITWER

Hotrod

 _(Autobots wage a battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons)_

JOHN HURT  
Alpha Trion

 _(Transformers)_

BRUCE GREENWOOD

Ultra Magnus

 _(Robots in disguise)_

ZOE SALDANA

Arcee

 _(Transformers)_

JENNIFER HALE

Elita One

 _(More than meets the eye)_

JOSH KEATON

Breakaway

 _(Autobots wage a battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons)_

DAN GILVAZAN

Bumblebee

 _(Transformers)_

ADAM LAZARRE-WHITE

Jazz

 _(Robots in disguise)_

MICHAEL BELL  
Sideswipe

 _(Transformers)_

NATHON FILLION

Sunstreaker

 _(More than meets the eye)_

TRAVIS WILLINGHAM

Cerebros

 _(Transformers)_

JAMES ARNOLD TAYLOR

Brainstorm

 _(I could stand behind my barricade, do what I'm and be afraid to change)_

PETER JESSOP

Highbrow

 _(While isolated by the mainstream, with the current up against me)_

DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON

Crosshairs

 _(Well maybe if my arms were ten feet tall, I could finally reach that crystal ball)_

JEFFREY COMBS

Triage

 _('Cause I still find inside there's something braver, and I, I won't be the silent damnation)_

LIAM NEESON

Sentinel Prime

 _(I will never be voiceless my weapon of choice is I'd rather be Dangerous)_

BRANDON KEENER

Tigatron

 _(I won't be left defenseless as God as my witness I'd rather be Dangerous)_

TROY BAKER

Drift

 _(Dangerous)_

SUMALEE MONTANO

Roulette

 _(Everybody is somebody, and anybody is you)_

KEVIN MICHAEL RICHARDSON

Bulkhead

 _(I own my story, and won't say sorry, and neither will you)_

PAULINE NEWSTONE

Airazor

 _(I will never be)_

DAVID SOBOLOV

Depth charge

 _(I will never be voiceless my weapon of choice is I'd rather be Dangerous)_

MARK RYAN

Stratosphere

 _(As God as my witness, I won't be defenseless as God as my witness)_

IDRIS ELBA

Thunderwing

 _(I'd rather be Dangerous, Dangerous)_

FRANK WELKER

Megatron

 _(As I survey the chaos, taking in the lack of raw humanity)_

KIEFER SUTHERLAND

Galvatron

 _(It's as if the entire world fallen with their insanity)_

COREY BURTON

Shockwave

 _(Hear the innocent voices scream as their tormentors laugh through all of it)_

KEITH DAVID  
Cyclonus

 _(No forgiveness for all I've seen, a degradation I cannot forget)_

ALEC WILLOWS

Tarantulas

 _(So sleep soundly in your beds tonight, for judgment fall upon you at first light)_

JOHN DIMAGGIO

Skullcrusher

 _(I'm the hand of God, I'm the dark messiah, I'm The Vengeful One)_

LIAM O'BRIAN

Abominus

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

TOM KENNY

Wingspan

Pounce

 _(In the blackest moment of a dying world, what have you become)_

MICHAEL DORN

Dreadwing

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming)_

ALIX WILTON REGAN  
Dark Steel

 _(When you die, you'll know why)_

ROGER CRAIG SMITH

Shattershot

 _(For you could be saved, with all the world enslaved)_

KHARY PAYTON

Nosecone

 _(When you die, you'll know why)_

MATTHEW MERCER

Afterburner

 _(Why you die, you'll know why)_

DARREN CRISS

Strafe

 _(For you could not be save, this world is to depraved)_

JOHNNY YONG BOSCH

Lightspeed

 _(I'm the hand of God, I'm the dark messiah, I'm The Vengeful One)_

FRED TATASCIORE

Computron

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

JAMIESON PRICE

Onslaught

Brawl

 _(In the blackest moment of a dying world, what have you become)_

STEVEN BLUM

Swindle

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

DAVE BOAT

Vortex

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

KIETH SILVERSTEIN

Blast Off

 _(I'm the hand of God, I'm the dark messiah, I'm The Vengeful One)_

CHARLIZE THERON

Josie Beller

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

CHRISTOPHER DANIEL BARNES

Spike Witwicky

 _(In the blackest moment of a dying world, what have you become)_

LACEY CHABERT

Carly Witwicky

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

JOSH HUCHERSON

Daniel Witwicky

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS

Chip Chase

 _([Look inside and see what you're becoming])_

YVONNE STROHOVSKI

Marissa Fairborne

JOSH DUHAMEL

William Lennox

ALISON SCAGLIOTTE

Verity Carlo

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* * *

Songs

The Transformers Theme  
performed by Vince Dicola feat. Stan Bush

Dangerous

Performed by Shinedown

The Vengeful One

Performed by Disturbed

 **TRANSFORMERS: THE GATHERING STORM**

* * *

 _(At an undisclosed location, a group of individuals are gathered around a table. On the table lays the mangled remains of Josie Beller. One person, a man of middle-age appearance but with apparent military connection, looks over the corpse of the dead woman. But he is more interest of the metallic structure of the corpse. Still, he sighs at the resultant appearance._

" _It's a shame that didn't live to tell us how the Transformers turned the Technobots against her. Still, initial readout tells us all we need to know about them… and how to beat them."_

 _One of the other asks the military man, "What do want us to do with the body, Silas?"_

 _The military man called Silas replies, "Prep it for transfer to my facility and I want all our top scientists to be ready. Project: Chimera is about to begin.")_

* * *

 _(The Autobots manage to corner the mysterious robot in a dead end street. The unknown robot has nowhere to and nowhere to lift off. Her wings are damaged from her instantaneous arrival. The Autobots are unable to make heads or tails of the robot, including which faction to which she belongs. It is Ultra Magnus who approaches the female bot, gun ready in case she tries to fight._

" _You've got ten micro seconds to tell us who you are and where you come from." He says to her._

" _Then we might let you escape with you dignity, sweet spark." Sideswipe added._

" _Look, it's very important that I speak to Optimus Prime as soon as possible." The robot replies with trepidation in her tone._

" _Why? Who are you and who sent you here?" Magnus asks._

 _The female stand up, arms raised to show she is unarmed. "My name is Windblade, and, well this'll be hard to believe… I was sent here by Optimus Prime… and Megatron… from the future."_

* * *

Author's Note: There's you official CAST chapter, complete with songs and a post-credit scene featuring the one and only Silas. That should be enough to confirm his involvement in the next story. Thanks for reading and reviewing and peace out.

This is KiloWhiskeyOscar signing off.


End file.
